Staff Writer- Sam Paulsen

The Gustavus Senior Studio Art majors recently presented their final exhibition: “Surface Tension”, a capstone of their artistic careers at Gustavus. The exhibition is now on display in the Hillstrom Museum of Art on the lower level of the Jackson Campus Center and will be shown until May 3rd. The exhibit displays a variety of artistic styles to bring questions to the minds of viewers about themes such as fragility and stability. 

The twelve seniors have worked tirelessly to create this exhibit with the aim of displaying their work for all of campus to see. 

“Surface tension is a physical property of water, which relates thematically to the work of some students, including myself, but also applies to all students more broadly in pushing against boundaries and challenging convention,” Japanese Studies and Studio Art double major Lindsey Johnson said. 

Johnson’s art represents the cyclical flow of time and impermanence through thematic ties to rivers, combining natural and manmade materials with fiber arts. To the students who have put their time into this work, it means more than just an exhibit. 

“This exhibit represents a culmination of all of my past art experiences and is my biggest exhibit yet. I worked very hard, and it means a lot to me as a step towards becoming a working artist,” Johnson said. 

Although this exhibit will be the last for these seniors during their time at Gustavus, many hope it will not be their last ever. 

Studio Art and Computer Science double major Nikolas Kopek focused his portion of the exhibit on the complex way in which both his majors connect, drawing inspiration from both his Gustavus experience and personal life to create his work. Kopek’s work uses the popular 3D creation software Blender to “explore the mystery and curiosity [felt] in vast watery environments,” according to his art label.

“This exhibition is a chance to really show how my two majors interact. I’ve never had such a public chance to display my works in a professional setting, so I took full advantage of it!” Kopek said. 

Not only is this exhibition for current Gustavus students to view and enjoy, but also for many prospective students to see. The hope for these seniors is to help inspire future students to consider pushing themselves out of their comfort zone and creating something new. 

“This exhibition serves as critical advertising for prospective majors, builds the professional portfolios of current majors, and contributes to the college culture with compelling ideas every year,” Kopek said. 

This exhibition is one of the art department’s largest of the year, with many hours of planning and work going into creating it. Professor for the ART-399 Capstone course Betsy Byers helps guide and mentor students throughout the process. 

“As a member of the Art Department, this exhibition is meaningful because we see the hard work of our students come to fruition. It is a privilege to work with these students for four years and to see them grow, be curious, and find conviction in their own voices,” Byers said. 

Byers expressed that the story of these artists and their work cannot be told in a simple article.

“Artists and art historians spend an incredible amount of time to develop and mount this exhibition—viewers are able to see the final product but it also represents the sleepless nights in the studio, eyes burning from editing on a screen, hands full of clay, entwined in fiber and dirty with charcoal, paint dripping, never ending searches on art databases looking for obscure Swedish dolls, writing, glue holding, writing and editing again,” Byers said. 

The department hopes for students to visit and celebrate the work the seniors have put in the exhibition before it leaves campus. “Our entire department is proud of these 12 students,” Byers said. 

“Surface Tension” will be on display until commencement on May 3rd. The exhibit takes the viewers through many aspects of life, humankind, and culture through numerous artistic forms. The exhibit encapsulates the twelve artists’ time at Gustavus—of artistry, collaboration, and development.