Mix, mingle, and marvel. Our ArtSpace gallery (located in the lobby of the Basile Theatre) features a rotating bi-monthly exhibit calendar showcasing the work of emerging and established artists of all disciplines.
This month’s exhibit is part of a Herron School of Art and Design thesis for both artist, Courtney Elizabeth Elson & Abi Raine Mirro.
Idol Eyes
Artist: Courtney Elizabeth Elston
My work, Idol Eyes, is inspired by Andy Warhol’s iconic Marilyn Monroe portrait portfolio, not only visually but also in meaning. The color variations he created symbolized the glamorization of Marylin Monroe and the image she created of herself. The amount of portraits he made symbolized the redundance of celebrities and how, through repetition, this glamor becomes their identity. His goal was to show that portrait, that image, so many times that it became just that, an image.
The title, Idol Eyes, is in reference to how, as a society, we idealize people who appear to have it all. Whether it’s influencers, celebrities, or our peers, what we see is what we believe. The issue is that a lot of the time the image we see of others is just a carefully crafted version of themselves. My self-portrait is a posed and polished image, a viewer wouldn’t know what’s going on in my life just by looking at it. The image on the wall is all some people will ever know of me. The viewer may never know my thoughts, feelings, beliefs, or struggles. They will only know and think of the image I present to them. People seem to always have Idol Eyes for everyone they see, and idealize the person they could be.
For Now I Am Enough
Artist: Abi Raine Mirro
The artwork in this collection tells a story of my past, present and future self and experience as a neurodivergent woman. I aim to explore the beauty of femininity and its connection to identity as well as neurodivergence and how they connect and intertwine for an ephemeral experience of self love and acceptance through exploring this duality.
The exhibit kicks off on the First Friday of the month with a special reception from 6pm to 9pm. Our bar is open and ready to make this the best way to kick off your First Friday gallery tour.
