An art gallery can transport you to a different place, but for students at NIU, it can take them back in time through their history and legacy.
NIU’s School of Art and Design is honoring six decades of creativity with the “Sixty Years of Printmaking at NIU: A Legacy of Excellence” exhibit. Located in the South Galleries of Altgeld Hall, this display showcases the printmaking program’s history, from its influential faculty to its honored alumni. The exhibit, which opened on Aug. 27 and will close on May 9, highlights the evolution of printmaking at NIU and the community that it has grown over the years.
Curated by Michael Barnes — current head of Printmaking — and Peter Olson, former assistant director of the Art Museum, the exhibit pays tribute to the artists who have shaped the program. It showcases works from influential faculty from the past and present, including the program’s founder, David Driesbach, who taught from 1964 to 1992, and Barnes, who has led the program since 1998. The exhibit also honors the legacy of other important figures in the printmaking department, like Robert Bornhuetter and Dorothea Bilder.
The exhibition is a visual timeline, telling the story of NIU through the diverse works on display. It features pieces from a variety of visiting artists and alumni who returned to the campus, such as Jay Ryan, known for his 2009 silkscreen piece, “Flock,” and Brian Kelly, who created the 2018 painting “DeKalb Homecoming Candy Crew” after earning his BFA at NIU in 1992. The exhibit also draws from the NIU Printmaking Archive, showcasing works like Susan Moffett’s 1976 intaglio piece, “Evening Repose.”
The front of the gallery displays tools of printmaking, like aluminum litho plates and litho crayons, giving visitors a look at the physical processes of printmaking. A highlight is Barnes’ showcase, “Community,” which is a powerful tribute to the close bonds created within the program. Through a collection of photos and a short message, it emphasizes how printmaking at NIU is not just about art, but about the supportive and collaborative environment students can find there.
A piece that stood out due to its immersive experience is the 2018 MFA graduate Millicent Kennedy’s “To Future Ghosts.” It features paper bricks dyed with a variety of materials plastered onto the windows, all enshrouded in a sheer fabric with patterns of dust painted with latex paint. “These repeating patterns reference both the solidness of architecture and the ever-changing nature of shadows,” according to the signage.
The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays, noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and noon to 3 p.m. or by appointment Saturdays.
