FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A five-foot by six-foot abstract meditation on life and lung cancer, committed to a drop cloth. An incense-burning obelisk. A laser-cut zine inspired by the story of a Tibetan nun in exile. These and other works by 27 undergraduate artists are included in Deconstructing Art: Why Am I Looking at a Lobster Telephone?

This pop-up art exhibition, curated by honors students Jackson Williams and Clio Rom, will be on display Feb. 19-23 in the Honors College wing of Gearhart Hall.

The exhibition will include a public panel discussion and reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22, in Gearhart Hall. Panelists will discuss the power of art to change lives and institutions, of particular interest now as the university celebrates two transformational gifts: a $120 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation to create the first and only accredited, collegiate School of Art in Arkansas, and a $40 million gift from the Windgate Charitable Foundation that will create the new Windgate Art and Design District in the heart of south Fayetteville.

Organized by Students, For Students

A wall of explanatory text inspired the multimedia exhibition.

“The idea grew from an ‘aha’ moment when I was in London at the Tate Modern,” said Jackson Williams, an honors art history major in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. “There was a wall of didactics for an exhibition on color, and at that moment it struck me that the wall was breaking down barriers between the rigid environment of the art museum and the experience of viewing art. I realized how powerful a tool art could be in creating dialogue.”

Clio Rom, also an honors art history major, affirmed that viewing art should be a personal experience, rather than an intimidating one.

“If you know the right questions to ask yourself when you’re looking at a piece of art, there will never be a wrong answer,” she said.

The two students reviewed more than 50 artworks submitted by undergraduate students from across campus. Art majors are well represented, but work by students pursuing majors in civil engineering, nursing, biology, interior design, applied math, political science and financial management and investing are also included in the exhibition.

Williams and Rom have also created labels, designed the installation, organized the panel discussion, and assisted with promotion for the exhibition. Lara Lefforge, a freshman honors art major, won a contest to design the exhibition  poster.

Sparking Dialogue

What role does art play in education? How can the newly revitalized School of Art change the nature of art in Arkansas? These are among the questions that will be addressed at the panel discussion and reception that will be held in the second-floor student lounge in the honors wing of Gearhart Hall. Panelists will include Dylan Turk, curatorial assistant, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; Meg Bourne, founder and chief executive officer, Art Feeds; Jeannie Hulen, associate dean, Fulbright College; and Ashley Byers, artist.

All on campus and in the community are invited to attend. Please RSVP via the online form, and come early to reserve your seat.

About the Honors College: The University of Arkansas Honors College was established in 2002 and unites the university’s top undergraduate students and professors in a learning environment characterized by discovery, creativity and service. Each year the Honors College awards up to 90 freshman fellowships that provide $70,000 over four years, and more than $1 million in undergraduate research and study abroad grants. The Honors College is nationally recognized for the high caliber of students it admits and graduates. Honors students enjoy small, in-depth classes, and programs are offered in all disciplines, tailored to students’ academic interests, with interdisciplinary collaborations encouraged. Fifty percent of Honors College graduates have studied abroad – three times the national average – and one hundred percent of them have engaged in mentored research.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.