For the first time, social media has determined the content of an upcoming art exhibit at Scripps College. Streetview: A Spectrum in Black and White will open at Gallery 112 in Scripps College’s Lang Hall on March 21. The exhibit runs through April 1 and is free and open to the public.
The theme of this unique, student-curated exhibit was selected solely through social networking (Facebook) promotion called Artpix. For two weeks in early February, over 135,000 members of the online community were made aware of the exhibition contest. Visitors to the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery website then voted on their favorite artworks from the Gallery’s permanent collection. Due to the large number of people reached through this online contest, the Gallery is already looking forward to Artpix 2.
Voters chose from among six works of art, ranging from Asian textiles to contemporary ceramics, which showcase the wide array of Scripps’ permanent collection. Helen Levitts’s black-and-white photograph, New York, New York, garnered the most votes and serves as the exhibit’s centerpiece. The 20th-century black-and-white photographs on display in Streetview focus on different aspects of interaction and identity in urban life. In addition to the urban landscape of New York, New York, Streetview features works by Diane Arbus, Lillian Bassman, William Heick, and Andy Warhol.
Student voters from the Claremont Colleges also had the opportunity to be randomly chosen for the curatorial team. Alexa Zilberfarb ’14, the lucky winner, worked with student interns to curate Streetview.
The opening reception for Streetview will be held on Thursday, March 24, at 8 pm, in Gallery 112. Live music and light refreshments will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to dress in black and white.
Gallery 112 is open to the public, free of charge, Monday through Thursday, from 9 am-5 pm. For more information, please contact Williamson Gallery at (909) 607-3397 or visit their website.