Clarksville, TN – Community art lovers can engage with two Austin Peay State University-sponsored exhibitions during Clarksville’s First Thursday Art Walk on March 7th. Explore Clarksville’s contemporary art hub, The New Gallery at Austin Peay State University (APSU), which is showcasing an exhibition by Atlanta-based artist In Kyoung Chun as part of Clarksville’s First Thursday Art Walk on March 7th.
Then, head to downtown Clarksville to admire an exhibition from the University’s art collection, carefully curated and set up by APSU art students at the Lorenzo Swinton Gallery.
First Stop: The New Gallery at Austin Peay State University
The New Gallery, located at 15 Henry Street, presents “Shared Room,” a solo exhibition by Atlanta-based artist In Kyoung Chun. Chun’s work explores personal and narrative spaces through the arrangement of simple forms and familiar objects in painting and sculpture.
As a South Korean immigrant facing challenges in the United States, Chun aims to create spaces that evoke positive energy and intimacy, reflecting life’s optimism and peace even in troubled environments.
“We treat each exhibit installation differently to give the viewer a unique experience when visiting The New Gallery, but this exhibition is unlike others we have installed,” said Michael Dickins, director of The New Gallery. “Designed to give the viewer an experience not customary when viewing works of art, we are installing her sculptures from the ceiling, so the viewers have to look up and discover the work.”
The sculptures in the exhibit resemble sections of a house, accentuating Chun’s belief that channeling discovery and recognizing sweetness in her everyday life is essential.
“We invite the viewers to look up — or lie on the floor — and think about what makes home for them,” Dickins said.
Second Stop: Lorenzo Swinton Gallery
APSU Department of Art + Design students have curated and installed an exhibition titled UNCOVERED from the Austin Peay State University Art Collection in the Lorenzo Swinton Gallery, located at 106 North Second Street, which will also be available during the First Thursday Art Walk on March 7th.
Though the Austin Peay State University Art Collection is accessible to the public, participating in the First Thursday Art Walk is a way to raise awareness of what it has to offer. As specific works can be overlooked within an approximately 3,500-piece art collection, UNCOVERED highlights some of the department’s favorite selections.
Art history major Mai Mai Newberry and studio art major Lily Goodowens, who serve as gallery assistants for The New Gallery, have worked alongside Dickins and Swinton to bring a meaningful experience and encounter with the visual arts to the local community.
Goodowens had similar thoughts about co-curating the exhibit, which provided a transformative educational experience.
For those unable to visit either gallery on March 7th, the “Shared Room” exhibition is open now until March 22nd at The New Gallery, which operates from 9:00am-4:00pm Mondays – Fridays and 10:00am-2:00pm Saturdays.
In addition to the exhibition, events include an artist lecture by In Kyoung Chun on March 12th at 6:00pm and a reception with a gallery talk on March 13th at noon. All events are free and open to the public, thanks to the sponsorship of the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts.
The exhibition UNCOVERED will be displayed at the Lorenzo Swinton Gallery until March 30th, 2024.
