Spotlight - The University of Maine Museum of Art
October 30th, 2009
By Jessica Currier
Journalism major, Brewer, Maine
If you ever want to expand your intellect and broaden your imagination, going to the University of Maine Museum of Art is a great way to do this. Located in downtown Bangor, UMMA is free for the public. As I explored the museum, the first exhibition I saw was an installation by Wendy Wischer called “Evergreen.” My first impression was that I had stepped into a glistening forest. There were leaves unfurling from the walls, encrusted with green gems. It put nature into a whole different perspective. It made me think that Wischer wanted to remind everyone how beautiful nature is and to not overlook it, this may be why she decided to make the leaves crystallized.
In the next gallery was “Roadside Ghosts” by Dave Anderson. The show consisted of black-and-white photographs captured on Anderson’s travels throughout 30 U.S states. All of the photographs represented some form of nature, including fields, trees, dewdrops and the sea. Many of the pictures were dark and mysterious. My favorite was a photograph of a house, barely visible. The second level of the house and roof were in view, along with a road in front of the house. It was such an ordinary picture, but with Anderson’s angles and lighting, it caught my eye.
In the third gallery, I found “Abstract New England: Six Perspectives.” This was my favorite, for the vivid colors and the interpretation of what the painting represents. Each viewer is allowed to interpret the art differently, and you can create any story or belief related to that piece of art. Benches are placed in each gallery for people to sit and spend time with the work. Sitting on a bench and taking in the gift of art at the University of Maine Museum of Art is an opportunity that every student should take to learn and expand their imagination.
