Art is endless, said senior Sean Alkire.
Alkire and Lauren Carvalho are showing their works at the John Sommers Gallery Friday.
The exhibition includes a sculpture piece by Alkire and photography by Carvalho.
“What I like most about art and photography is that it allows me to consider the many aspects of feeling and ideas,” Alkire said. “Art can transcend all disciplines. It is absolutely endless. With art you can do anything. It fits every aspect of the mental and visual world.”
The two artists have taken the same classes for about two years.
“Although our work is very different, I think it is inevitable for our work to have threads that go between our style,” Carvalho said. “Sean’s work is about structure and abundance, while mine has the absence of those things. I think that being opposite works, they work together in some way.”
Carvalho’s photography comes from her work made at her studio and from family photographs. She has taken the photographs apart to add and exchange pieces, and sewn them together with needle and thread, she said.
“I think a lot of my work is about disconnection in relationships and building something from that,” she said. “It’s about connection and disconnection at the same time. It’s also about the pieces it takes to create meaning, no matter how small. My theme is the essence that something carries in it. It includes what remains when things die or are discarded. It is the resurrection and rebirth of those things.”
Carvalho said she has gotten more serious about pursuing photography as a “necessity” in the last couple years thanks to the efforts of UNM professors.
“It is really rewarding to see my work displayed in a gallery. It’s what an artist is all about,” Carvalho said. “The excitement you get from someone looking at your work is vital as an artist. We are all sort of influenced by imagery. The more images we have, the more influenced we are. It is so integrated into our culture. It is a part of how people communicate and how we understand the world we’re in.”
Alkire’s sculpture is based on a piece he created last semester. It is made from plywood to create a cube with an actual tree.
“It is rooted in our nature to put things together and organize things,” Alkire said. “There’s always an instruction manual way of thinking in our society. This piece is my misunderstanding of that. For me, the sculpture forces me to slow down and consider what is actually going on around us instead of just doing things without thinking.”
The piece is the only sculpture Alkire will have on display at the gallery alongside Carvalho’s work. The piece took Alkire a few months to finish, he said.
“Having this piece in the gallery allowed me to actualize my idea,” Alkire said. “It was important for me to have it displayed because it forced me to be critical and specific with the art. I’ve really stepped up to convey my idea and create what was in my head.”
He said art is very diverse and depending on the idea. You must select the proper medium in order to convey it.
“I chose to convey this idea for this particular project with a sculpture because it needs to be three dimensional to show a constant changing project with infinite viewing perspectives,” Alkire said.
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Roger Boulay, director of the gallery, helped both students in putting together the show.
“This particular show will show the work being made in the photography department in the undergraduate level,” he said. “It also shows that students who work in photography can branch into other media. They have the freedom to try other things, not just photography. It exemplifies the strength in the art and photography department.”
