Students and faculty gave their opinions about "Outside Inside: Fragments in Place," the new art exhibit that opened Thursday, Oct. 9 at the Museum of Art.

The exhibit features seven different installations, each different, but all dealing with Utah's culture and landscape.

The different works range from a chandelier made of crystallized salt, to what appears to be floating pillows ascending like stairs toward heaven in the same room with an empty hospital bed and TV monitors. Other works focus on a particular piece of landscape, the pioneer spirit, and missionary work.

"I can definitely relate to the missionary one [titled 'Just Keep Walking']," said Derrick Price, a senior from Loveland, Colo. "But I still don't understand the tree and fire hydrant one [titled 'Bonsai Landscape']."

Price said he thought "Transmutation" was talking about death.

"I felt like I was in [the movie] The Ring," he said

Jacqueline Clayton's "Ark" broadened his view about different kinds of pioneers, and got him thinking about how much his stuff weighs, Price said.

Not everyone had a favorable view of the new exhibit.

Price's brother, David Price, who was visiting from his Arizona home said that he didn't understand a lot of it, but it gives him confidence that he can make it in the art world. He said that he wondered if all it takes to be an artist is to just throw stuff together.

According to artist Jacqueline Clayton, one major theme of "Art" is deciding what to take with you when you move on to the next stage in life.

Christen Brown, a senior from Corona, Calif. studying psychology said that "Ark" display impressed him because he comes from an immigrant family.

Brown liked the idea that people can start new lives with nothing.

"We are so attached to material possession," Brown said. "We couldn't imagine taking only six ounces of stuff."

Loren Brown, a freshman from Sandy, studying visual arts, said that he thinks it is a good experience for the school to have installation art like "Outside Inside." He said it was good to have outsiders' perspectives on how they saw Utah.

Peter Everett, assistant professor of visual arts, saw the exhibit in a little different light. Instead of choosing one display that he liked the most, he said he liked the grouping of all seven.

"The combination of all of them together was more significant than one piece," Everett said. "Although, the salt chandelier is really nice."



Copyright Brigham Young University 14 Oct 2003