Between the Radius Gallery and Basal, nine local University of Montana student artists debuted their new art exhibit titled “New Perspectives” in the outdoor ‘Allez’ Gallery. The exhibition displays current students along with recently graduated students from the art department at the University of Montana.
The unique urban gallery is highlighting the young rising artists through the central downtown location. “It is super super cool. I guess I just feel certain that more people are going to run across it, which is something you sort of don’t get when you make paintings that are often inside,” said Lily Kip, an artist included in the exhibition.
Kip is a second year MFA candidate at the UM. “I’m new to Missoula, I moved here for the program, and I feel like this has been an awesome opportunity to be more integrated into the community,” said Kip, who specializes in figurative oil painting.
‘New Perpectives’ is focused around providing a snapshot of some of the best work in the School of Visual and Media Arts and providing “a small sample of the creative energy in the school” according to the artist description.
Artist Erica Hitzman is taking the approach of incorporating the outdoor element into her piece. “I always liked having loose hanging paintings that I did on the floor that are kind of ratty and torn and so I think like bringing it outside and letting the weather do its dirty work to it really, like, brings it to the next level” said Hitzman.
Hitzman’s piece features a free flowing fabric with oil painting and underneath a separate painting, revealed as the weather deteriorates the overlaying fabric.
“I always have worked loose and hanging and I’ve always believed that art shouldn’t be treated more precious than people, and the way our society treats people is horrifying compared to the way we treat art so precious,” said Hitzman. “I’m excited to see how it changes in the weather.”
The process of the project was short but intense as students had around six weeks to complete their selected work. “I completed mine in a week, which was intense but really great because it was nice to just not think and just paint so it was kind of a wonderful experience,” said Kip.
“It’s kind of always how I work; I just picked a photo and since it was a short time constraint I was like ‘this is it, I’m gonna go with it!” said Kip.
Kip’s work centers around figure painting from snapshot photography. Her included piece is based on a photo she took in Portland, Oregon, during the migratory bird event called ‘the swifts’. “We went and I just took this picture and I didn’t even think to paint it at the time but when I was looking for source material I saw it and I was like actually that would be really fun,” said Kip. The mystery of the piece is what drew Kip to the idea. “It’s so not obvious what’s actually going on, it’s all these people watching something.”
The project is in collaboration with the UM art department who recruited, organized, and installed the exhibit. The Allez Gallery has been on the side of the Radius for several years, and the owners, Karen and Brian Sippy, have owned the building that houses the Radius Gallery for several years as well. The goal of Allez is to create a space for art to be shared publicly as well as to uplift artists in the community, according to their website.
“I’ve never done anything outdoors,” said Hitzman. This exhibition is a first for many of the other artists as well. Other artists included in the show are: Colton Rothwell, Crystal McCallie, Dagny Walton, Eric Jenson, Micki Haldi, Jules Lucero, and Lily Luna Bennett.
Later in the spring the UM and Allez hopes to host another event celebrating the included artists. The exhibit will be up until May 5, 2024.
