Student-curated exhibit on the art of language opens in Carleton’s Perlman Teaching Museum

A new exhibit curated by Carleton art history students opens April 12 in the Kaemmer Gallery of the Perlman Teaching Museum.

Art of Language: The Synergy of Text and Image explores the intertwining modes of communication in art. Using works from the Carleton Art Collection as a foundation, the 11 student curators observe how artists use text and image to establish narrative, comment on society, and engage conceptually with the viewer.

An opening reception, featuring a performance by guest artist and visual poet Scott Helmes, takes place from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, April 12 in the Weitz Center for Creativity Commons. Based in St. Paul, Minn., Helmes is an artist, photographer and architect who produces works in a variety of forms, including mathematical poetry and rubber-stamped poetry. His writing archives from 1972 to 1997 are in the Avant Writing Collection of The Ohio State University Libraries.

In fall 2018, Jeff Rathermel, the Mary Hulings Rice Director and Curator of the Perlman Teaching Museum, taught a curatorial seminar class designed to guide his students in the creation of an exhibit for display in the museum. Art of Language: The Synergy of Text and Image was curated by seniors Rachel Foster (Denver), Viola Li (China), Clarissa Smith (Phoenix) and Elaine Tian (Seattle); juniors Maddie Birnbaum (Palo Alto, Calif.), Bea Crow (Canterbury, N.H.), Gray Kaegi (Williamstown, Mass.) and Jin Kim (Singapore); and sophomores Amanda Mosborg (Bloomington, Minn.) and Hill Tiguila (Houston), along with staff member/student Javier Alberdi (Spain).

Art of Language: The Synergy of Text and Image will be on display in the Perlman Teaching Museum through June 14, 2019. For more information, including accessibility accommodations, call (507) 222-4342 or visit the museum website. The Weitz Center for Creativity is located at Third and College Streets in Northfield.