'Visual Elements:' HMA exhibit emphasizes the basics

Lee Ward, The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.
·2 min read

Sep. 1—HUNTINGTON — The building blocks of art will be the focus of a two-year series of exhibits at the Huntington Museum of Art.

"The Visual Elements" is a six-part series beginning with "The Visual Elements: Line Presented by Edward Tucker Architects Inc.," which is about the simplest and most versatile elements of art. A line is a literal or implied connection between points or, as poetically defined by artist Suzanne Caporael, "a point moving through space, trailing its history behind."

HMA Senior Curator/Exhibition Designer John Farley said the series will allow the museum to display pieces from the permanent collection while outlining the elements of art for visitors.

"I hope that this series of exhibits will encourage viewers toward a goal of better understanding the ways in which artworks are made," Farley said. "Even diverse works of art may be similarly constructed and share a lot of common DNA. Learning to discern commonalities is as interesting and important as appreciating differences. I believe that greater appreciation naturally follows when one grasps the means and the methods that artists have employed to communicate their ideas."

The series was inspired by of famed architect Walter Gropius, considered a pioneer of modern architecture; Gropius designed the Huntington Museum of Art's 1968 addition and studios. It is the only American art museum brought to completion using a Gropius design.

In 1968, at the groundbreaking of what would become HMA's expanded facility, Gropius spoke:

"It will be of incalculable value for Huntington and its neighboring towns to have at their disposal a greatly broadened institute — after these buildings will be finished — to pursue both the improvement of historic knowledge of art as well as the artistic creativity of their own young generation for the cultural benefit of the whole community. I ask your permission to stress particularly the aspect of workshop development in the gallery which is perhaps less obvious in its scope and value to the average person than appreciation of art of the past, but ever so much more important for the future generations' creative attitude."

The exhibit will continue through Nov. 6.

(606) 326-2661 — lward@dailyindependent.com