Walking Walls: A Triumphant Closing For Faculty Art Exhibition

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Story and photo by Sadie Fiore

“I want my walls to walk.”

This was the sentiment shared by Margery Amdur, the artist behind Stedman Gallery’s Spring installation, Seams to be Constructed. The installation, which ran from January 16 to April 13, was a constant work in progress, and intentionally so–part of the artistic process was its constant changes.

During a pre-reception talk about her process and inspiration, Amdur, who is also a member of the Fine Arts faculty at Rutgers–Camden, said that “I never made clothes, my mother never made clothes, we went to a seamstress and the dressmaker, but I always had the desire to make and work with my hands, but I didn’t know how.” This desire was shown throughout the exhibit, which consisted of a variety of sewn objects, including clothing-like items and textiles.

Amdur said that her art is often, “a stand-in for the body,” and that “the body is implied.” Her expression was evident in the repeated motif of the crinoline or hoop skirt, an 18th and 19th century undergarment worn by women to support their large and restrictive skirts, as well as the twisting wire sculptures throughout the exhibit, which seemed to echo the shapes of the human body.

“It was sort of a Martha Stewart way of working, but then it became, [that] I had to break the rules.” Amdur continued. She accomplished this by using unconventional artistic materials and mediums–wire, computer-generated designs screen printed onto fabric, and, most notably, makeup sponges, which she uses to create three dimensional pieces that resemble mushrooms and fungi.

The closing reception was well attended, and the crowd consisted of students, some of which were Amdurs, as well as other artists, school administrators and faculty, all of whom expressed their admiration, with one faculty member expressing how wonderful the exhibit was in an educational sense, for the students who saw and interacted with it.

Up next in the Stedman Gallery: The Department of Visual Media and Performing Arts (VMPA) will be showing the class of 2024 Senior Thesis show, showcasing the work of students in the fields of Animation, Graphic Design, Painting/Drawing, Sculpture and Intermedia opening May 1, with a reception on May 11 at 5pm. More information can be found at https://vmpa.camden.rutgers.edu