FIRST ART EXHIBIT ON DISPLAY IN NEW LIBRARY
April 5, 2001, Bloomfield, NJ - The first art exhibit is now on display in the Bloomfield College Library thanks to students in the College’s Arts Alive! course, and their instructor, Elizabeth Seaton.
The installation, which is displayed in an alcove in the lower level of the library, is an example of an “Exquisite Corpse” project.
The Exquisite Corpse is a game invented by the Surrealists, early 20th Century artists who courted chance as a way to reveal unconscious processes. Three or four players fold a piece of paper into thirds or fourths. By turns, each draws a portion of the body, concealing their work before passing it on to the next artist. The drawing is then unfolded, exposing random effects, chance juxtapositions, and fantastic, even outrageous images. An exquisite corpse is a glimpse into the unconscious collective reality of the group.
The particular corps exquisite on display in the library are especially large examples, done by using additional paper to mask portions other than those under development. They were then cut out from a double layer of craft paper, stapled and stuffed. The work includes pastel, charcoal, ink, rubbings, collage and spray paint. The participants were able to work collectively while retaining artistic autonomy and the element of the unexpected.
Participants in the project included: Charlene Anson, Marie Florence Choute, Georges Claudy, Patricia Duffaut, Tawana Evans, Aura Guerra, Linda Machado, Yairain Newball, Ijeoma Onyeyirim, Elizabeth Seaton, and Rugiatu Sesay.
