Art on Main

Join us as we highlight the power of art and what it means to be an artist in today’s world. Explore virtual exhibitions, studio tours and artists’ insights.

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2021 Virtual Exhibitions & Tours at the Berman Museum

Françoise Gilot: “Her Journey through Portraiture”

This exhibition of portraits by renowned artist Françoise Gilot (French/American, b. 1921) is a presentation of her works on paper drawn from the Berman Museum of Art permanent collection. The installation explores Gilot’s interest in capturing the artistic, literary, familial, and political personalities of history, using a bold, linear approach.

Shannon Collis “Strata”

Strata, a multi-sensory installation by Canadian artist Shannon Collis, immerses visitors in an environment of deep sonic resonance and dynamic moving images that travel above and through Alberta’s Boreal Forest, the Athabasca River, and Fort McMurray to underscore the scale of the Fort Hills Suncor Oil Sands and Syncrude Oil Plant, the third-largest known crude bitumen reservoir on the planet.

Kris Graves “Testaments”

In Testaments, artist Kris Graves invokes a diverse vocabulary of portraiture to bear witness to contemporary Black experience. The richly hued brilliance of the 80 portraits—made between 2014-19—that comprise The Testament Project underscores the power of self-representation, when portraiture becomes a consciously collaborative act.

Chuck Kelton: “Folds”

Kelton has been a master printer for over 35 years and has handled the work of artists such as Danny Lyon, Helen Levitt, Mary Ellen Mark, Larry Clark, and Lillian Bassman. His command of the darkroom is overwhelmingly present in Folds.

“Lucky Seven”

Lucky Seven is an installation of acquisitions collected by or gifted to the Berman Museum of Art over the past seven years. This exhibition playfully interprets the passing of time, placing emphasis on a significant turning point in the museum’s history.

Katie Merz: “Live the Questions”

Katie Merz’s Live the Questions will document the memories and stories of Class of 2020 alumni—who departed campus unexpectedly and without opportunity for closure or commemoration—and current students—in a frieze of images that will wind around the Facilities Building smokestack from base to top.

Museum Work Demystified

Museum Work Demystified is a series of ongoing interviews with Berman Museum staff about the exciting and challenging work that they do. What goes on behind the scenes at museums is often unknown to the public, with this series we hope to pull back the curtain.

“The Preparator” with Paul Pawlaczyk (Episode 1)
In this episode, Paul Pawlaczyk shares his experience as a museum preparator.

Faculty Studio Tour Series: Sarah Kaufman

Ursinus College’s studio art faculty offer a peek into their personal studios and share their creative processes with Art on Main. Sarah Kaufman, assistant professor of art and art history in photography, starts off our three-part studio tour series. Sarah shows us her studio space, camera and her photo book composition process.

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Faculty Studio Tour Series: David Aipperspach

David Aipperspach, assistant professor of art and art history in painting and printmaking, continues our three-part studio tour series. David shares his current projects and creative process with with Art on Main. Tune in above to see his studio and to learn more about his professional work.

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A Relaxing Look Inside an Artwork Vault

With over 8,000 objects in our collection and limited exhibition space, many artworks must be stored away from public view. Our vaults are temperature controlled, secure environments for artwork storage. Enjoy this relaxing tour of an often hidden aspect of museum operation.

Faculty Studio Tour Series: Cari Freno

Cari Freno, assistant professor of art and art history in sculpture and drawing, concludes our three-part studio tour series. Cari discusses how the personal and professional intersect in all aspects of her work especially in her video projects. See her studio tour in the video above.

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Virtual Student Art Exhibit

Coming May 2021

.See 2020 Student exhibition

Course Spotlight: Museum Studies Curatorial Seminar

Ursinus College’s Museum Studies Curatorial Seminar students have been hard at work co-curating the Berman Museum’s newest exhibition “Strata” by multi-media artist Shannon Collis. Over the month of February, we will be sharing our student curators’ and their professor’s perspectives through short format interviews.

Katie Merz and the Live the Questions Mural

LIVE! On Main sits down with artist Katie Merz to talk about her process of collaboration in capturing the essence of Ursinus and transforming the utilitarian smoke stack to an essay dedicated to the class of 2020.