Streams of Being at Maryland Day
On Saturday, April 25th, students, families, and community members explored the university’s campus during Maryland Day, an annual spring tradition. With emphasis on learning and fun, the campus was divided into six different sections. The Art Gallery was one of the checkpoints and highlights of “Arts Alley,” where visitors got a taste of the creative, visual, and performing arts.
In its final days, the Streams of Being exhibition was open for all and acted as a collaborative, integrative space for a diverse audience. By 2pm, over two hundred visitors had experienced the exhibition in various capacities. The gallery provided an environment conducive to storytelling and sharing, as students from the Creative Writing MFA program read their work aloud. Their narratives were received with enthusiasm and seemed to work well in the space, surrounded by the art.
The Herman Maril Teaching and Research Gallery allowed visitors to experience a more playful approach to a piece from the exhibition. In partnership with the College Park Community Center, Lindsey D’Andelet developed a project surrounding Filemón Santiago Avendaño’s Untitled, in which children designed and created their own imaginary hybrid animals. These creatures were displayed in conjunction with a stop animation film of the animals in motion.
Everyone who visited the gallery on Maryland Day seemed to be very intrigued by the show and its various ‘streams.’ The larger, more iconic works in the show drew visitors into the gallery and from room to room, while smaller pieces called for close looking and contemplation. On its last day at The Art Gallery, Streams of Being definitely received the attention and recognition it deserved. Maryland Day increased awareness of and accessibility to the gallery, encouraging families and individuals to immerse themselves in art.
Credit: Sibia Sarangan, senior, University of Maryland