The Hillstrom Museum, which is located in the lower level of the Jackson Campus Center, is currently featuring three new exhibitions from Sept. 12 to Nov. 6, 2011. The three exhibits are A Collector’s Passion for Dürer’s Secrets: the MAGJEKL Collection, “Comfort Me, Said He,” by Gustavus graduate Kristen Lowe, and FOCUS IN/ON: Guy Pène du Bois’ Connoisseurs.

The first of the three exhibits, A Collector’s Passion for Dürer’s Secrets: the MAGJEKL Collection, includes about forty engravings and woodblocks by German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer.

Some of the pieces in his exhibit are quite small, measuring at no bigger than two by three inches. The themes of the work, however, cover some big concepts. They show apocalyptic and religious themes, many of which can be linked back to the religious conflicts of the time involving Martin Luther and his 95 theses.

“Comfort Me, Said He,” by Lowe includes a variety of large-scale charcoal and chalk drawings of sheep. Unlike A Collector’s Passion for Dürer’s Secrets: the MAGJEKL Collection, the work in this collection is quite large, some greater than six feet in height. The link between the titles of her pieces and the drawings themselves “are meant to symbolize relationships,” Lowe said.

While she was inspired by the symbiotic relationship between sheep and the people who care for them, she wanted the audience to make the connection to the relationships that humans form as well.

“Professor Lowe’s work was both thought provoking and aesthetically pleasing,” Junior Anthropology Major Kristina Fosse said. Lowe will give public gallery talks at 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Sept. 17 in the Hillstrom Museum.

In addition to the gallery talks, there will be a presentation of a dance, titled Excess, choreographed by Dance Professor Melissa Rolnick and Senior Dance Major Renee Guittar in response to Lowe’s work, to be performed at 6:30 p.m. on October 4, 2011 in the Hillstrom Museum.

FOCUS IN/ON: Guy Pène du Bois’ Connoisseurs features a critique of the watercolor, “Connoisseurs” by American painter and art critic Guy Pène du Bois. The essay analyzing this piece was co-written by Professor and Chair of the Sociology/Anthropology Department Richard Hilbert and the Director of the Hillstrom Museum and Art Professor Donald Myers.

The goal of this piece is to interpret “Connoisseurs” in a way that reflects the author’s career, aspirations and life while also examining the impact of such a critique.