THERE IS a large, brick building on Rugby Road where the floor is free of beer, the rooms remain uncluttered with solo cups and the walls are covered with art. Shockingly, most first-years have never been to this building, and even upperclassmen seem not to notice its placement directly across from Mad Bowl and next to the trio of frats anchored in the center by SERP. It is the University of Virginia Art Museum, and it is one of the University's best kept secrets that should not be a secret at all.
As students, we have so many entertainment options before us. We have the downtown mall, full of quirky shops, delicious restaurants and a quaint atmosphere. We have the Blue Ridge mountains all around us, full of breathtaking views and pristine hiking trails. We even have Jefferson's home, Monticello, only 15 minutes away, full of history and beauty perfect for a fall day. And yet, when it comes right down to it, it is hard for many of us to leave the social bubble of the University.
This unwillingness to venture out, however, should not affect the Art Museum, which sits right in the heart of most of our social activities. But because of a lack of knowledge about the museum, many students ignore one of the most valuable resources the University has to offer.
Just like Arts Dollars, the Art Museum suffers from what seems to be misunderstanding. No one really knows what qualifies for Arts Dollars, and no one really knows about the Art Museum. Questions abound: "Is it free?" "When is it open?" "What kinds of exhibits does it offer?" Emily Hagan, one of the student docents at the museum, says that they try hard to organize events to draw more people to the museum, but, "It's hard ... as most students think the museum is just another fraternity house on Rugby." Location and appearance aside, the Art Museum also suffers from a common false perception of museums in general: They are boring. But as Hagan points out, this is an unfortunate reaction, as "the museum does an excellent job of bringing relevant and thought-provoking exhibitions" to the University. In fact, she notes that the museum takes its role within the University community very seriously, often planning exhibitions that are especially relevant to students.
One need look no further than the exhibit currently on display of William Christenberry's works, entitled "Site/Possession." An African American artist whose works are influenced by his childhood in Tuscaloosa, AL, Christenberry seems particularly relevant to University students, as Hagan points out that Charlottesville is "a Virginian city rife with its own racial and socioeconomic tensions." One room is devoted to Christenberry's controversial Klan Room Tableau, an installation of hundreds of photographs, drawings, paintings, sculptures, dolls and other objects associated with the Ku Klux Klan. This is not just a controversial work but one which many students could use as a tool for discussions on racial conflict, a topic that seems omnipresent for students at the University.
Christenberry's work was even recently shown at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. "Inrich.com," a Richmond news and entertainment Web site, praises the University's exhibit, saying, "The University of Virginia Art Museum is achieving what the Smithsonian American Art Museum failed to do in its recent overview of the multifaceted art of William Christenberry ... [throwing] a strong spotlight on drawings, which the celebrated Washington-based artist considers 'the bedrock of everything I do.'" This is pretty high praise for a museum of its size, and yet most students will never go to see these amazing, thought-provoking and highly controversial works on display.
I know that not everyone is a fan of art, and spending an afternoon at an art museum is not everyone's idea of a fun time. But a lack of interest in art is not the main reason most students do not visit the University's Art Museum. Hagan notes, "If people aren't interested in the art ... they should at least come for the parties." Final Fridays is a monthly event at the Museum, occurring every (you guessed it) last Friday of the month that usually features a discussion on art, free drinks and gourmet hors d'oeuvres. Some art and architecture students may wish to keep this a secretive event for the "art elite," but all students should take advantage of this simple event that can be quite fun.
Art and architecture students should spread the news about the museum and encourage others to drop by. Other students should at least take a peek around the Museum. But if nothing else, students should simply be aware of all the great opportunities that the Museum has to offer.
Lindsay Huggins's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at lhuggins@cavalierdaily.com.
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