A new senior exhibition has opened at the Lufrano Intercultural Gallery and the UNF Gallery of Art for students to experience through the end of Jan. The Lufrano Gallery is located in the John A. Delaney Student Union, and The UNF Gallery of Art is located in Founders Hall. Both galleries showcase the graduating fall class of 2021’s senior projects in different multimedia ways meant to be appreciated through experience. 

Jessica Borusky oversees and curates the two aforementioned galleries as well as “The UNF Gallery of Art” at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in downtown Jacksonville. Borusky also teaches classes in contemporary art. They have been curating and teaching for about 10 years. There are certain exhibitions here at UNF that they develop, and they select the artists for those exhibitions, who come up with the concepts. They oversee the shipping, handling, installation of artwork, and any programs that are connected during the length of time that the exhibition is up. 

Lufrano

The current exhibit showcases senior projects that focus on the arts and social justice. These pieces of artwork aim to capture ideas of community and impact the viewer through unique and expressive ways. 

Works Featured

Presented as a shopping cart filled with items, this attention-grabbing installation was created by Camryn Media. The work features an array of articles hanging from the ceiling. The attention to detail and creativity in this piece is apparent.

Numerous art pieces are displayed in the space, each a different shape and form than the last. Artist Gage Perna displays a series of oil paintings that utilize color to create visually astounding images. 

Darrion Cisero has a display of acrylic paintings titled different things like, “The Tasteful Juggler” and “Ring Leader, Year of the Horse.” Darrion works with music while creating art pieces. Viewers can listen to a song he wrote by scanning the QR code displayed next to the painting titled, “Circus Act.” 

“Environmental Impacts” is a series of relief prints on plastic bags created by Brooke Dowling. This installation piece presents different images painted on plastic bags that are eye-catching and convey an important environmental message. 

Another visually creative piece titled, “Weight Problems: Charcuterie Board, 36 lbs” by Darby Carver displays an array of molded and pastel finished food items presented as a charcuterie board for viewers to view and analyze. 

The display of black and white portraits by Melody Verkerk is a meaningful and beautiful piece.  Different quotes are written below each portrait-like, “Character not color” and “Be kind to others.” Verkerk has a website that includes her entire portraiture project that can be accessed by scanning a QR code displayed next to the piece.  

At MOCA Jacksonville, Jessica Borusky curated the UNF Gallery of Art exhibition, “Techno-Intimacy” that showcases the relationship between digital platforms and the practice of intimacy, care, and community building. The pieces feature different forms of video art and installation. The exhibit will be up through February. UNF students have free access to the MOCA, so Borusky highly encourages students and faculty to check out the display. They also encourage students to check the MOCA’s website for updates on hours and events, as well as programs offered to upper-level studio art majors for amazing opportunities.  

Both galleries at UNF will be open for viewers until the end of January, and Borusky strongly encourages students and staff to check it out.  

“I think it is exciting for students, faculty, and staff to take a look at these because it really showcases the openness that art can have and the different ways we can think about art. Meaning art is not just a painting in a frame, it can operate in a lot of different ways,” said Borusky.

Access the monthly newsletter for updates, and more information can be found on the UNF Galleries blog.  

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