ATHENS, Ohio -- "The Love Room: Love in the 21st Century" is a new exhibition opening at the Kennedy Museum of Art on Friday, March 21. The exhibition, curated by Ohio University Art Education graduate students, explores how the mass marketing of romantic desire is interpreted by modern culture. Visitors can respond to a variety of western perspectives, through projections of consumer trends and traditional value systems. A public reception celebrating the opening of the exhibition will be held at the Kennedy Museum on Thursday, March 20, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The Kennedy Museum continues its collaboration with Ohio University School of Art's Art Education area. The exhibition is the third in a series of exhibitions organized by graduate students in Art 564: Museum and Community Art Education. The students in the current Art 564 class were inspired to create an exhibition based on the overabundance of "love propaganda" in the media. Ashley Mann, a master's candidate in art education states, "Advertisements manipulate the human desire for romantic love; they do not necessarily reflect how love is currently perceived by the individual." The class, taught by Art Education Chair Dr. Anne Burkhardt, also includes: Erin Pettey, Nicholas Polizzi and Lori Esposito, all master's candidates in art education. A major concern in creating this exhibition for the students was to "evoke critical dialogue in order to bring to the surface a fresh and honest perspective on romantic love in the 21st century."
The Kennedy Museum of Art is located in historic Lin Hall at the Ridges on the Ohio University campus. The Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday from noon to 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Guided tours are available on most Saturdays to provide information about current exhibitions and Lin Hall. Pre-arranged guided tours are available to community and school groups with advance notice. For information on how to book tours, call (740) 593-1304. For more information please visit the museum's Web site at www.ohiou.edu/museum.
