Northcutt Steele Gallery - 2017 Faculty Exhibition
Functional Considerations:
Traffic flow in the Northcutt Steele Gallery really does not have much problem. Patrons are able to easily move about within the gallery, and when exiting. I don't see any bottle-necking problems unless everyone is being ushered into the gallery for an artist talk, but once everyone enters it is not much of an issue.
There is a variety of materials used within this exhibition. Mark Earnhart's work for example, appears to be both sturdy and durable, whereas, Jodi Lightner and Mara Pierce's works are more delicate with more careful consideration when hanging. As far as typography, each label is pleasant to the eye and a nice font size.
The reading heights of each label are easy to read, and can be seen clearly next to or around their designated artwork. From what I can tell, there are no dangerous aspects within this gallery. Since exhibitions routinely change, I can see a sculpture or artwork being potentially hazardous, but not at this point in time. If a disabled person were to have interest in moving about the gallery, there would be plenty of room for them to maneuver around.
Formal Considerations:In every exhibition I have been to, whether it is in the Northcutt or Museum, I would say the Northcutt uses a very professional font style, size, and label. It is not an eye-sore, it is completely easy to read and easy to see. It does not detract from the work, each label sits quietly next to each artwork.
There is a nice flow when moving through this particular exhibition. The eye can be easily entertained by the variety of different artists brought together for this show. Each artist works with a different set of media, and it adds nicely to the variety. An observer will definitely not be bored when walking through this exhibition!
I would not change anything about this exhibition! And since each artist has a completely different style, the visual style of this particular show is pleasantly diverse.
Conceptual Considerations:
I do not know how to describe the "message" of this exhibition, simply because of the diverse nature of each artwork, and artist.
The design of this exhibition is very fluid. An observer can walk into the gallery and start at any artwork and make their way through without having a direction they need to follow.
Visitor Observations:
The best aspects of this exhibition for someone under 25 would be Mark Earnhart's work where he has placed a pillow underneath a fake tree which is protruding out of another structure which he has carefully designed and built. Another would be observing Jodi Lightner's intricately designed drawings which feature depth and shadows. The least interesting might be Neil Jussila's large scale paintings, or Mara Pierce's mixed media artwork.
For someone over the age of 25, the best aspects might be JJ Higgins videos, one in which asks the viewer to place a set of headphones on and listen to the audio she has recorded. The least popular may be Marcia Selsor's ceramic vessels. The viewer can simply admirer them, and then move on to the next piece.
Due to the diverse nature of each artwork, visitors can share their experiences with their peers or family when viewing these works.
If I could change one thing about the gallery, I would design the entrance much differently. To the left when entering the gallery, there are 2 display cases which are exceedingly difficult to place artwork inside of when installing new exhibitions. I would create the entrance a little bigger with more easily accessible display cases in the front to feature specific artworks.
