Students at Lehigh University Take on the Role of Museum Curators, Advocating for Art Appreciation and Display
Lehigh University Students Curate New Artworks for University Galleries
In a unique hands-on learning experience, 14 Lehigh University students have played a pivotal role in expanding the university's art collection. As part of the ART275: Museum Collections and Exhibitions course, these undergraduate students participated in a collaborative process to select and purchase four new works of art for the Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG).
The process began with art research and proposal development, where students explored contemporary artworks and artists, considering LUAG’s mission and collection goals. They then presented their proposals, focusing on the significance, relevance, and potential impact of their chosen works.
Group discussions and critiques followed, fostering a collaborative evaluation environment where students critiqued and refined each other's choices based on scholarly and curatorial perspectives. Students also received guidance from faculty members and LUAG professional staff, including curators and collection managers, ensuring selections aligned with museum standards and institutional priorities.
Budget management was another crucial aspect of the process, as students had to prioritise artworks that fit within a predetermined purchasing budget. After deliberations, students made final purchase decisions through a voting process or consensus, balancing artistic merit, collection needs, and financial considerations.
Once selections were approved, LUAG staff handled the formal acquisition procedures, including contracts, provenance verification, and cataloging.
The selected works include Chitra Ganesh's "Architects of the Future", Hurvin Anderson's "Paradise", Curlee Raven Holton's "Hands Up, Nimbus" and "Spinning Glory". These artworks will be displayed in the galleries in the fall semester.
The students' primary aim was to select a work of art that speaks to the current times. Kate Goodwin '22 stated that representation and diversifying Lehigh's collection was a top priority, while Rei Ukon '21 expressed the challenge of choosing a limited number of pieces and the power institutions hold in controlling what stories are told.
Throughout the semester, students researched LUAG’s collection, identified gaps, and worked to fill those gaps with their selections. They also visited Raven Fine Art Editions in Easton, Pennsylvania, a fine art print publisher, and virtually visited Durham Press, a publisher of limited edition prints and multiples in Durham, Pennsylvania.
The collaborative, experiential approach provides students with real-world curatorial experience while enriching Lehigh’s art collection in meaningful ways. The students wrote accompanying labels and text discussing why they selected these works for Lehigh, offering future generations a glimpse into the perspectives of the students who curated these pieces.
This project, made possible by LUAG's Collections Policy and a budget of $25,000 from LUAG's Fine Arts Endowment, marks a significant milestone in the university's ongoing efforts to diversify and enrich its art collection. The students' hard work and dedication have resulted in a collection that offers strong pedagogical potential for the university community, enabling engagement in critical discussions on art and culture.
- In the context of their course ART275, Lehigh University students delved into education-and-self-development by researching contemporary artworks and artists, aiming to expand the university's art collection and align with the Lehigh University Art Galleries' (LUAG) mission and collection goals.
- As part of the curating process, lifestyle choices were made by balancing artistic merit, collection needs, and financial considerations, all while keeping in mind the significance, relevance, and potential impact of the chosen works for a diverse and inclusive education-and-self-development perspective.
