Art Gallery

ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY

Rockford University Art Gallery is always free.
Open to the public:

• Current Gallery Hours: Wednesdays from 3pm-5pm, Fridays 12pm-3pm
• Contact anorris@rockford.edu
• Or by appointment

Contact: Gallery Director Ari Norris at anorris@rockford.edu

The Rockford University Art Gallery provides a varied series of art exhibitions and related programming in support of the Department of Art and Art History and is an important educational and cultural resource for the campus and community. The Gallery is located in the Clark Arts Center, the locus of the University’s Department of Art and Art History.

Fall 2024 Exhibitions

Curb Appeal: The International Hand-Painted Sign Collection of Brad Arsenault

On Display: September 9th – October 18th
Reception: Friday, October 4th, 6:00-8:00PM
Collector Talk: Friday, October 4th, 7:00PM
Brad Arsenault began his career in international development as a Peace Corps volunteer in Gabon in Central Africa more than 30 years ago, where he first encountered the vibrant art form of hand-painted signs. His humanitarian and international development work over the past 25 years across Asia and Africa deepened his appreciation for these unique pieces of visual communication. Through his collection, Arsenault showcases the artistry and cultural significance of hand-painted signs, celebrating their role in everyday life and their rarity in the age of modern printing technology. Arsenault’s collection of hand-painted signs varies widely in passion and artistry, each work offering a unique take into the vibrant world of commercial art around the globe. While the pieces were created to attract customers to various essential services, these signs are more than just functional—they are cultural artifacts shaped by local resident artists. With the rise of modern printing technology, hand-painted signs began disappearing by the wayside. The signs convey universal themes: physical well-being, hard work of expertise and local knowledge, and the importance of physical attractiveness as a source of dignity and pride. This collection serves as a tribute to the creativity and functionality of these handcrafted works, capturing the essence of ‘curb appeal’ to draw clients into a particular craftsperson to support a critical need.

Chip Off the Old Block: Ryan Burns & Andi Crist

On Display: October 28th – December 6th
Reception: Friday, November 22nd, 6:00-8:00PM
Artist Talk: Friday, November 22nd, 7:00PM

Andi Crist is a conceptual artist based in Chicago. Her sculptural practice is complemented by a career as a professional art-handler and fabricator, and employs a variety of media including woodworking, ceramics, leathercraft and casting into mixed-media works. By pairing humor and skepticism with craft-based techniques, Crist aims a critical eye at the value systems at play in the arts economy on large and small scales. Absurdity and utility target intellectualism with a serious dedication to craftsmanship and a “master-of-none better than a master-of-one” attitude. Objects are rooted in real iterations of themselves, and replications reflect a world where work and play become both synonymous and antagonistic. With keen self-awareness and an often sardonic approach to the gallery as a white cube, Crist’s work incites critical examinations of contemporary industrialized studio practices while galvanizing craft in the realm of fine arts.

Ryan Burns makes zine-inspired drawings and still life paintings of fruit, typically protected in furniture-inspired framing devices. The work presents itself like a multi-panel framed shadowbox, consisting of ink drawings on raw canvas and fruit still life oil paintings on panel. His autobiographical zines and observational paintings gain insight into the past, search for personal identity, and provide empowerment to the author and audience.