Exhibit invites high school students to collaborate
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 21, 2023) — The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College is pleased to present “The Gift,” an immersive installation that explores the space in between art and astrophysics, inviting participants to explore grief, care, and renewal.
As participants enter the exhibit, they walk into a music-filled reading room, encountering illustrated books, one in English and one in Spanish, based on the astrophysics research of Dr. Natalie Gosnell, Assistant Professor of Physics at Colorado College, and co-written by writer, new media artist, and immersive theater maker Janani Balasubramanian.
This book, which invites responses both tactile and emotional, tells the story of two stars that are so close to one another, yet so far from us, that they appear as a single point of light in the sky. Their fates are intertwined; one star, at the end of its life, transfers its material to the companion, allowing the companion to burn brighter and to appear, for a moment—younger, brighter, bluer.
The book invites participants to consider their place in the universe as well as their connections to people both near and far. In the following reflection room, participants explore how they are changed by those connections and have the opportunity to contribute to the exhibition, which will evolve over time.
“As scientists and artists, we are all observers of the world. We are all interpreters and storytellers,” said Dr. Gosnell. “We hope people leave this experience feeling a closer connection to the universe and with an understanding that the story of science belongs to all of us. We can build a more welcoming world from the stories we tell.”
“The Gift” is a collaborative project between Dr. Gosnell, Balasubramanian, and creative producer Dr. Andrew Kircher. The book and the exhibition-space feature artwork by Amy Myers with design by Katie Hodge. The original score is by Tina-Hanaé Miller with arrangement by Solomon Hoffman.
High school students and educators from Colorado Springs School District 11 will have the opportunity to explore their creativity at the intersection of arts and science, alongside the artists, in a program known as The Collective, now in its second year. They will spend six weeks in-residence at the Fine Arts Center creating their own works in response to “The Gift.”
“This program creates an important space of intergenerational learning where our campus and broader communities can be in dialogue to share ideas and shape new knowledge,” said Michael Christiano, Director of Visual Arts and Museum at the Fine Arts Center.
“The Gift” opens Friday, March 3 and runs through Sunday, June 18. Student artwork will be on view at the museum beginning March 17.
“We are excited to show what is possible,” said Dr. Gosnell.
RELATED EVENTS
Opening Celebration
Friday, March 17, 4–7 p.m.
Celebrate the opening of The Gift, an immersive installation that explores the space in between art and astrophysics. Also opening is a related exhibition featuring work inspired by The Gift, made by D11 educators and students who participated in The Collective. Meet the artists and learn more about their work.
Workshop
Saturday, April 8, 5 p.m.
2nd Floor music room at the Fine Arts Center
Join us for a workshop facilitated by the co-creators of “The Gift” on exploring metaphors we use in everyday life, and how we can shift those metaphors to set new futures in motion. Attendees should visit the exhibition prior to the workshop.
Panel Discussion
Saturday, April 8, 7 p.m.
2nd Floor music room at the Fine Arts Center
Join project collaborators Dr. Natalie Gosnell, Janani Balasubramanian, and Dr. Andrew Kircher as they discuss “The Gift.”
Registration for related events is requested. Visit the exhibition webpage for details.
VISIT THE FAC MUSEUM
Museum free days are offered the second Saturday and third Friday of each month.
We are open late on the First Friday of each month with free admission 5–8 p.m.
The Ladyfingers at the FAC shop is open during regular museum hours with handmade, locally sourced, and inclusive goods paired with a selection of items designed to expand and enrich your FAC experience.
PLEASE NOTE: Exposure to COVID-19 is possible in public places. For the latest information on any COVID guidelines and requirements, visit the FAC website.
ABOUT THE FINE ARTS CENTER MUSEUM
The FAC Museum’s permanent collection of approx. 17,000 objects showcases the rich history and vibrant contemporary cultures of the Southwest and the Americas, containing works of art from Native America, Hispanic and Spanish Colonial New Mexico, and 20th and 21st-century America.
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
The story of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College (FAC) began with the founding of the Broadmoor Art Academy in 1919. A museum, performing arts theatre, and community art school, the FAC is a pillar in the cultural community of the Rocky Mountain West providing innovative, educational, and multi-disciplinary arts experiences designed to elevate the individual spirit and inspire community vitality. For more information about the FAC, visit fac.coloradocollege.edu or follow on Facebook @CSFineArtsCenter.
Land Acknowledgement
Colorado College occupies the traditional territories of the Nuchu, known today as the Southern Ute Tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and the Northern Ute People, who lost their beloved homelands due to colonization, forced relocation, and land theft. Other tribes have also lived here including the Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Comanche — and notably, continue to do so, along with many other Indigenous Peoples. To actively seek social justice, we acknowledge that the land continues to hold the values and traditions of the original inhabitants and caretakers of this land. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors, elders, and youth — past, present, and future.
###