FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Two Exhibitions at Saint Mary’s College Examine War and Peace


Media contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
(574) 284-4579

January 17, 2011 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—The Saint Mary's College Departments of Art and Psychology and the Cushwa-Leighton Library invite the public to examine war and peace through two exhibitions on campus.

“The Aesthetics of War and Reconciliation,” an exhibit that features artworks in a wide variety of medias, is scheduled to be on display in the Moreau Art Galleries from January 28-February 25 (moreaucenter.com). An opening reception and two lectures complement the event. The exhibition examines the psychology of violence and reconciliation through the eyes of those who experience it and how that can be expressed through art.

Krista Hoefle, associate professor of art and gallery director of the Moreau Art Galleries, and Bettina Spencer, assistant professor of psychology, curated the exhibition together. “Krista and I came up with the idea through conversations and mutual research and teaching interests,” Spencer explained. “We both felt that a discussion of war and violence was timely and necessary, and we wanted to create events that would be campus-wide and open to the public. We felt that lectures paired with a large-group show would provide a unique opportunity to bridge disciplines and attract a wide range of people.”

On Thursday, February 3 and Friday, February 4 there will be lectures and a reception marking the opening of the exhibit.

  • February 3 lecture: Joseph DeLapp, associate professor of art at the University of Nevada, will offer a lecture at 1 p.m. in Vander Vennet Theatre in the Student Center. DeLapp heads the Digital Media Program at Nevada and his art is featured in “The Aesthetics of War and Reconciliation.”  CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER.
  • February 4 lecture: Linda Tropp, associate professor of psychology and director of the Psychology of Peace and Violence Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will offer her lecture at 6 p.m. in Little Theatre, Moreau Center for the Arts.
  • February 4 reception: The Artist Reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. in the Moreau Art Galleries. This is an opportunity for the public to meet the curators and artists who are participating in this collaborative exhibition.

Hoefle thinks art students will benefit from the exhibition. “It's so important for art students to be able to articulate and contextualize the aesthetics of an art piece within a conceptual and intellectual framework. The more varied their exposure to different points of view--and especially research methodologies--the better. It can give depth to their interpretive and expressive capabilities,” she said. “I also think that Dr. Tropp's lecture will open their eyes to new ways of seeing and thinking about art making.”

Spencer hopes psychology students will find it meaningful as well. “I think the exhibit will encourage them to think about large-scale problems from a different perspective. The various styles of art will both humanize and abstract the concept of war. I hope that psychology students will think about the many forms of violence, and the impact violence can have on an individual and society,” Spencer said. “Doctor Tropp will provide psychology students with an applied psychological framework for thinking through these issues, and will provide the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research and give them a chance to meet with a prominent female research psychologist. “  

“The Aesthetics of War and Reconciliation” exhibition and events are co-sponsored by: Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and the Center for Women's Intercultural Leadership, the Department of Art, Department of Psychology, the Justice Education Program, the Women's Studies Program, the Department of Sociology, and the Intercultural Studies Program at Saint Mary's College.

In addition to “The Aesthetics of War and Reconciliation” exhibition will be CODEPINK’s Peace Ribbon exhibit. Twenty panels of the Peace Ribbon are currently on display in the Cushwa-Leighton Library. It will be there until March 11 and can be viewed during regular library hours. For more information, contact Robert Hohl, librarian at the Cushwa-Leighton Library, by email or (574) 284-5287.

CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities.*

*Saint Mary's College does not take political stands on wars or other matters.

About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Saint Mary’s College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” in the U.S. News & World Report 2011 College Guide. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.