The University of Miami’s Department of Art and Art History gets creative and offers digital exhibits in an effort to reach broader audiences.
It seems like during the age of COVID-19, our computers are the hottest new venue sites for all sorts of events. At the University of Miami, new art exhibitions, traditionally displayed in Wynwood, are now moving from gallery walls into the comforts of our own home.
The Department of Art and Art History is presenting its first online series of digital exhibitions. Christine Di Staola, who is obtaining her M.F.A. in painting and printmaking, was the first student who had the opportunity to transition and display her artwork digitally in her latest exhibit “Christine Di Staola: Abstract Prints.”
“We are living during a time where brick and mortar structures are not the only way that you can market your art and going through traditional channels is no longer the only way to go,” Di Staola said.
The art student said she was a bit apprehensive about displaying her work online at first, but she quickly came to realize that there are a lot of advantages in her favor.
“For example, I’ve gotten immediate feedback, and it has generated great interest. Basically, in a matter of hours since the exhibit launched, I was contacted by somebody who was interested in my art, and that was a great feeling,” said Di Staola.
She explains that her exhibition includes a variety of paintings and prints that exude vibrant colors.
“I work with bright colors, gestures, and textures. I like the vibrance of life, and art does just that for me,” she said. “I think people right now could probably benefit from just sitting and looking at something and enjoying it and taking it in. I don’t want to call it a distraction, because that’s not it, it just helps open your heart during this difficult time.”
Di Staola said that even though she has faced challenges in continuing her studies at home, she is still inspired to keep creating new pieces.
“I live in an efficiency, and I don’t have a ton of space. But what you do is you adapt and see how you can take all your creative energy and transform it,” she explained. “I’m working in a smaller format now, and I’m happy with the products. They’re wonderful little works, and it gives me a sense of hope that things can work out. “
Monica Travis is another student whose artwork is being featured in a digital landscape online. The senior BFA student majoring in sculpture said she learned to adapt to the circumstances quickly.
“I’ve been working with technology for a few years and generally create 3D models of my sculptures. This made it easier to create a virtual exhibition. It was definitely a learning experience, but I adapted well,” she said.
Travis explained that her installation, “Make Yourself At Home,” uses sculpture as a conceptual mirror to visually represent cultural absurdity. Her work intends to reflect idiosyncrasies that exist in the world surrounding her.