Students present local artists in annual art exhibit

By: Alfredo Aparicio/Staff Writer

The Aesthetics and Values seminar, led by faculty fellow John Bailly, began as an underground class. On the first go around, only 18 students filled the classroom and brought together the first Aesthetics and Values exhibit at the FIU Green Library. The number of students since that first class has only grown, tripling in the last five years.

“It’s not about looking at art from a historical point of view,” said Bailly, who teaches the class. “It’s about how this art exists in society and how we approach it.”

The students in the class, who are required to participate in the yearlong exhibit project, have taken great initiative to bring only the best elements to the table. “For me as a faculty member what I have found most rewarding is that the students take ownership of the project and they’re very creative in how they engage themselves,” said Bailly.

Students choose from a list of established artists but are encouraged to seek out other artists who catch their attention. One of the artists who will be featured, José Bedia, was not part of the original list.
“If a student finds someone not on the list, they make a proposal for the artist and present it to the museum. If accepted they have the go-ahead to contact the artists,” said Bailly.

This year’s exhibit will also feature well-established artists such as Daniel Arsham, Ivan Toth Depeña, Jacin Giordano, and Karen Rifas are only some of the artists who created original works for the exhibit.

The exhibit, which had its humble beginnings in the FIU Green Library, caught the eye of Carol Damian, director of the Frost Museum.

“This exhibit has become a tradition at FIU.  Two years ago, when John Bailly asked to teach his class here, he described the exhibit and asked if it could be at the Frost.  I was very enthusiastic,” said Dr. Damian.

Dr. Damian was impressed with the stellar list of artists who were featured in the yearly exhibit as well as the class’ ability to break down barriers between the different disciplines at the FIU Honors College. The move to the Frost Museum also provided a bigger stage for the students to showcase the works of the artists of their choosing. “The platform and exposure is much larger but it still has retained its student ownership,” said Bailly. “It amazes me the work they have done and how they have taken the initiative and made the exhibit their own and grown it from a class project to a professional exhibit.”

Dr. Damian also credits the fact that many important local artists have taken the time to participate in the student-curated exhibition. “It’s not within the pristine galleries but rather in a very open place and they chose that location with the students. I think that’s very attractive—to have artists work with the students to promote the next generation of art lovers,” said Damian.

For Bailly, each year the exhibit brings with it equal shares of excitement and drama.

Valerie Carisma couldn’t help but smile as she saw it all come together. “I saw her on Monday with her artist, Antonia Wright, putting the final touches on her installation and it embodied all Aesthetics and Values is about: student determination. To me that’s what’s most important,” said Bailly