Hidden in the ceramics studio in the basement of Bucksbaum Arts Center (BCA) is a new student art gallery. The aptly titled “Basement Gallery” was created this semester by Robin Strangfeld, professor of Studio Art, Abbey Peters, 3D art technical assistant, and Amy Kan `27.
Before its transformation into an art gallery, BCA 25 ceramics closet operated as a clay storage closet and had big shelves lining two of its walls. Strangfeld called the room “kind of gross” and said that they did not store much clay in it. “This was just not well-used space,” Strangfeld said. “We were like, what could we do to make it look nicer and more beneficial to students?”
That was when Strangfeld remembered that her tutee, Amy Kan `27, had reached out to her at the beginning of the semester looking to found an informal gallery space on campus. “I wanted to start something new,” Kan said. “I approached Robin with the idea, and then a fair amount of time passed because I was stuck on what space am I going to use?”
Once Kan had seen and approved of the ceramics closet, Strangfeld and Peters began to transform the room into a gallery over fall break. Peters worked with Facilities Management to take out the cabinets. When students returned from break, Jason Bierstedt `27 and Liv Hage `26, two ceramics student monitors, helped patch and paint the walls. Meanwhile, Peters built shelves using scraps from the wood shop.
Strangfeld said that one of the challenges of converting the unconventional space into a gallery was that none of the walls met at right angles, describing how “wonky” the room is. Peters agreed. “I feel like this went too well,” Peters said, noting how quickly the gallery space came together. “But it really was giving ourselves the permission to be like, yeah, it’s an unused space. Let’s use it.”
The project has been a labor of love for Strangfeld, Peters and Kan. “All this is kind of funded from the goodness of people’s hearts,” said Kan, who is nevertheless currently pursuing other funding opportunities for the space.
Peters said, “[The Basement Gallery] also developed out of this need to have a space to document work. Our students are making great work. But then there’s the concern of, what do you do next?”
Philomena Fresca `25 was the first student to show work in the Basement Gallery. Her show, “Enflocking It,” was displayed for a week in late November. Fresca said that Strangfeld approached her about exhibiting her work when Fresca went to her with a collection of pieces that she did not know what to do with. “I felt lost in what I’m making, and I didn’t know how any of this fits together … and she was like I have an idea for you. You should just be the first exhibition in the space and just bring your stuff together and see how it feels.”
Fresca, who has shown work in the Bachelor of Arts exhibition (BAX) and the Smith Gallery before, said that while those spaces are more formal and require more steps to show work, the Basement Gallery offers a different experience. “The wonderful thing about this space is that it’s a lot more laid back,” Fresca said. “And I think people can be more experimental.”
Strangfeld said that the space will remain informal. “I think there’s a lot of risk that can be taken when things are more informal. We’re hoping for quick turnaround times,” Strangfeld said.
Fresca said, “I think the lack of bureaucracy and more freedom for the student is essential to art-making.”
The next show in the Basement Gallery, “Time on Our Hands,” opens Wednesday, Dec. 4 and will display the miniature works of Strangfeld’s ceramics students. “We did an hourly sculpture project. So for every hour that a student was awake, they made a teeny little sculpture that represents that moment” Strangfeld said.
Strangfeld looks forward to the future of the Basement Gallery and hopes it can maintain its secretive, informal and experimental character. “I’m hoping we don’t get too popular,” Strangfeld said with a laugh.
“I think that this is just the tip of the iceberg of what people can do,” Fresca said.
