CSU Gallery features MSU student’s surreal sculptures
The Central Student Union at Minnesota State University, Mankato has put up a new art gallery that features sculpture work from students.
MSU junior Abby Lundebrek wanted to add a piece to the gallery to expand her portfolio.
“Every year we do a couple galleries, and I always make sure to get my name in those,” said Lundebrek. “I’m trying to get [my art] out there as much as I can.”
MSU senior Nell Jasinski-Ernst is a Fine Studio Arts major with an emphasis in sculpture and installations. Jasinski-Ernst wanted to get involved not only to showcase their work, but because they believe artists get overlooked.
“[Art] is around us all the time, and it’s fun to see the way how different [pieces] are done and how different materials are used,” said Jasinski-Ernst. “It’s fun to also see what other students are doing. It’s very prevalent.”
The piece Jasinski-Ernst is showing has been in the works for roughly three weeks. Jasinski-Ernst explained it as a mixed media wall piece that plays with colors and lines.
“It uses lots of fabrics and different materials that are very versatile and hanging and weaving together,” said Jasinski-Ernst. “I also like to put an emphasis on tension when I make my pieces.”
As for Lundebrek’s sculpture, she drew inspiration from other artists, mainly focusing on the surrealism of Belgian artist Rene Magritte’s paintings. She focused mainly on Magritte’s flat paintings that create illusions for the eye.
“I particularly chose his painting “Son of Man,” which originally has a man in a bull hat and an apple for his face, so I decided to put my own twist on that. I did a bear with a fish because I kind of think the bear is my spirit animal,” said Lundebrek. “I wanted to keep the whole illusion of surrealism.”
Lundebrek explained the process behind the piece as, “Relating one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” from a mirror she found in the dumpster.
“[Rene Magritte] used to do these mirror pools, and so I decided to cut my bear out and put it on here to kind of mimic what Rene had going on. I wanted to create that illusion of it looking like running water, but it’s not,” said Lundebrek. “Basically, I just wanted to capture his artistry into 2D and make it 3D, but in my own twist.”
Jasinski-Ernst encourages students to visit the art gallery to support the art department.
“Art is all around you in everything you see. It’s in the T-shirt you’re wearing, in the posters and billboards you see and the commercials you’re watching, and it’s good to recognize that,” said Jasinski-Ernst. “We’re just as important as all the other departments.”
The work done by sculpture students in the CSU art gallery is open for people to view through March 4.
Header Photo: Sculpture students produced by MSU students featured on surrealism, lines and colors. The work is displayed in the gallery until March 4. (Emma Johnson/The Reporter)
Write to: Lilly Schmidt at lillian.schmidt@mnsu.edu