A showcasing of art by UTRGV students
“Fabricated Visions,” an exhibition featuring the work of Brownsville students from Intermediate Sculpture and Design II classes, will open at 6 p.m. Friday in the Carlotta K. Petrina Museum, located at 1452 E. Madison St.
Julian Rodriguez, a lecturer for the School of Art & Design who is based in Brownsville, told The Rider in a phone interview the sculpture exhibit is a class requirement for students. Students in the two classes put together, organize and exhibit the work they created over the semester. The show is a one-night event. Admission is free.
The exhibition, hosted by the School of Art & Design, will feature clay art pieces, welded metal projects and even wearable art outfits.
“[In Design II], we’re putting the elements and principles of design and designing outrageous headwear, shoes and even, like, a shirt or a top,” Rodriguez said. “All the pieces are supposed to be themed together and they’re supposed to be wearable. So, what [the students] will be doing is wearing their outfits they created for the semester and showing up to the exhibition as walking sculptures.”
He added that some of the sculptural pieces represent animal figures, have a social commentary aspect and are based on design principles.
Rodriguez said he makes it a requirement for his advanced classes so that students have experience in what it takes to run an exhibition.
“They learn about the amount of work and what’s required to put together an exhibition,” he said. “So, that way, once they’re out of the university and they go on into professional careers as artists, that they have experience already in putting together an exhibition.”
With about 40 students in both classes, Rodriguez said he divides the students into committees to better organize the event.
“Each committee is in charge of certain aspects of the exhibition,” he said. “We have the promotion committee, the installation committee and the reception committee.”
With the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the student exhibitions to a halt, the events resumed in the Fall 2021.
“I want to keep this going on again, for every semester,” Rodriguez said.
