How Stedman Art Gallery Supports Rutgers Camden Students
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The Stedman Art Gallery at Rutgers University Camden, will host its annual Thesis Exhibition, ART CAN, from April 21 to May 21, showcasing the work of graduating senior art students. The exhibition offers students a professional platform to display their artwork while inviting the community to engage with the creativity.
The Thesis Exhibition serves as a capstone experience, highlighting months of preparation and collaboration between students and gallery staff. According to the coordinator, Elizabeth Coulter, the exhibition provides meaningful opportunities for emerging artists and reflects the gallery’s broader mission.
“At its core, the Stedman Gallery works to inspire and create meaningful opportunities in art and art is essential to cultural, economic, and community vitality,” Coulter said. “The Thesis Exhibition is a platform for graduating student artists to have at least one professional showcase of their work before continuing their professional careers.”
Curator Alejandro Loureiro described the exhibition as more than a display of artworks, emphasizing its conceptual organization. He explains that each piece is meant to interact with the others, forming a spatial dialogue that allows both individuality and connections to emerge. This conceptual approach encourages visitors to explore multiple perspectives as they move through the gallery.
Students play an active role in bringing the exhibition to life with the student-led exhibition tour. Scheduled for April 30 from 12:45–1:45 p.m., the tour allows students to present their work directly to an audience. According to Coulter, this tour is a pivotal moment for students to reflect on their growth while transitioning from school to pursuing the next stage in their careers.
Behind the scenes, the exhibition’s layout and installation involve detailed planning. Decisions about wall placement, display furniture, and technology are made in advance, and installation is a collaborative effort between students, faculty, gallery staff, and IT. Preparations often begin by prepping walls and display areas before accepting the artwork into the gallery.
Mykayla, a student employee, described the technical aspects of installation, emphasizing precision and attention to detail: “The installation process was much more technical than I expected. We made sure pieces were hung at eye level, typically five feet at the center, and that measurements were consistent across all artworks.”
Mykayla, who has also exhibited work outside of campus, emphasized the value of public exhibitions for artistic growth, “Advice I would give students who are nervous about showing their art publicly is to take advantage of every opportunity you have for your work to be seen and experienced by others. It would not only help you gather information about how others react to your work, but it will also continue to influence the way you make your work and your ideas surrounding your art.”
The exhibition gives students the opportunity to learn from each other, challenging them to explore different artistic approaches through teamwork. Coulter added that learning to display work in a gallery equips students with transferable skills. She shared, “Student artists work collaboratively and interface with different people at all stages of the project; they work towards deadlines, and they give presentations, among other responsibilities. The exhibition process helps them understand and best prepare for potential exhibiting opportunities in the future.”
Through the Thesis Exhibition, students gain hands-on experience that extends beyond the classroom. It invites the campus and local community to explore a wide range of media and creative approaches, creating a space where student innovation meets public engagement.
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