When I learned of Neil Armstrong’s recent death, I instantly recalled a moment from my childhood. During my sixth grade history lesson, I had been somewhat envious of this first man to set foot on the moon. At one time or another, most of us have probably wished we could travel to space. However, considering Georgetown does not prepare us to become astronauts, this isn’t exactly a plausible reality. Fortunately, artist Rebecca Kamen has brought space down to Earth. Her impressive exhibit within the Spagnuolo Gallery in the Walsh Building provides a visual solar system for all to see.

Kamen’s art truly captures the essence of the universe. Her sculptures contain the surreal elements that embody the natural phenomena of earth. By integrating art and science, Kamen portrays the fluid structure of energy systems. Many of her sculptures show the composition of nature; they bear a slight resemblance to the diagrams we’ve seen in biology and chemistry textbooks. Thankfully, they avoid the pesky scientific jargon that usually accompanies these illustrations.

The most notable aspect of Kamen’s work is her delicate balance of simplicity and complexity. While Kamen’s macro view of the universe reveals the big picture of existence, her micro outlook delves deeper into the intricacies of our globe.  This creates a seductive effect, luring visitors into the depth of her sculptures. The three-dimensional aspect of Kamen’s work screams a subtle truth: There is much more to art than one initially notices. Kamen achieves this effect by layering graphite and acrylic on sheets of Mylar. These layers are modeled after pages; when combined and woven together, they form a complex story.

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This week, the Spagnuolo Gallery (located in the Walsh building) opened a new exhibition, “Where the Seafloor Melts,” in which both the ancient and serene are realized by both science and accuracy. The exhibit is constituted of stoneware by the artist Joan Lederman, who, residing in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, incorporated the local influence of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and their deep-sea finds into her artwork through the use of glazes composed of Neptunian muds.

The exhibit opens to the eye as a set of gorgeous plates and vases in both earthen and aquatic colors. The pieces make use of both of shape, pattern, and color: these conventions expressing themselves by way of the kiln.

Coordinates, materials, historical periods and motives are all arranged into the various pieces in the gallery, by way of glaze painted into words around the circular forms. In the heavily earth-toned vase entitled “Amaphora: Mud Pun,” the ancient date (750 B.C.) of a Phoenician shipwreck, from which she incorporated mud, is listed around the neck. Pieces such as this are the first to incorporate ancient, oceanic sands into the glazing process.

Another work that incorporates the location from which the mud came into the art itself is “Mud Blood,” a piece which, encircled by a faint green, is reminiscent of tenth-century Korean celadon, though upon further inspection, found its origin in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, specifically the coordinates 23°5‘ North, 45° West. The viewer is also informed that the mud was retrieved from a fracture site for drilling.

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This week, Georgetown is celebrating the openings of two new exhibits on campus. On Wednesday evening, the Art History department is sponsoring a reception in the Spagnuolo Gallery to commemorate the opening of “Pixel Vision: the First Ten Years”, featuring work created by students in the past decade in the Napolitano Digital Art Studio. The lab, which opened on January 12th, 2000 and includes 14 computers equipped for the creation of digital art, was a gift of Mr. Thomas Napolitano ’69 and his wife Barbara. The reception will take place on Wednesday, January 19th from 5:30 to 7:00 P.M. The exhibit includes digital prints, interactive media and digital video and will run through April 9th, 2011.

The exhibition of Paul Reed’s colorful geometric prints brightened the days (and late nights) of many of us who crammed for finals on 5th Floor Lauinger this past December. Thursday evening, The artist will be on hand to officially celebrate the exhibit at a reception and panel discussion. Professor Clifford T. Chieffo will moderate a panel including Joy Chambers, a DLS candidate in Liberal Studies; National Gallery of Art Senior Lecturer David Garrif; gallery owner Wim Roefs and printmaker Lou Stovall. Marvin Aguilar (COL ’11) worked on the exhibition as an assistant curator and told Vox that the show features Reed’s later work, “much of which has not been thoroughly analyzed by critics or historians”, and that Aguilar “found most interesting and thought provoking… Paul’s ‘search’for new techniques involving stained paintings and unprimed canvas”. The opening will take place in Lau’s Murray Room at 6:00 P.M.

Image: Paul Reed

Farewell Address from Former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski

President Kwasniewski is leaving Georgetown at the end of this semester, completing his time as a Distinguished Scholar in the Practice of Global Leadership.  On Thursday, April 29, he will be speaking in the Fisher Colloquim in the Hariri Building.  President Kwasniewski will talk about the future of Poland and the rest of East/Central Europe in light of tragedy of April 10.  A reception—free food!—will follow the speech.  The event requires an RSVP.

Are you smarter than people being paid to teach you?

The SFS Academic Council will be hosting a quiz show to help freshmen in Map of the Modern World prep for their final exam on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in ICC 104.  Student teams will be pitted against their professors and deans in a match that will either embarrass Georgetown’s finest minds or scare some freshmen into an all-night cram session.  Deans Bryan Kasper and Maura Gregory and economics professor Robert Cumby will compete, along with others.  Prizes will be gift certificates to the Tombs, Saxby’s, Bangkok Bistro, and more.  If you’re a student who thinks they are smarter than their professors (when it comes to Map), e-mail gusfsac@gmail.com to see if spots are still available on the team.  And if you’re not a freshman, don’t forget to check what has changed from the old Map regime before signing up.

Georgetown students like art too!

Eleven seniors with a concentration in the visual arts will be displaying their artwork off in an exhibit running from April 28 to May 21 in the Spagnuolo Gallery.  The exhibit will have officially kick off on Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m., with a reception—more free food!—at the gallery.

Schall’s Ball

Toqueville Forum will be holding its Third Annual Reverend James V. Schall Award Ceremony on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. in the ICC Auditorium.  This year’s recipient is Dr. George Carey of the Government Department.  Professor Carey will also be giving a lecture on the “Constitutional Morality and the Crisis of Our Time.”  He joins professors Leon Kass and Ralph McInerny as prize recipients.  The event requires registration, so e-mail tocquevilleforum@georgetown.edu and let them know you’re coming.

Photo from Flickr user Institute for Human Sciences used under a Creative Commons license