Over the past couple of years, the Nancy Lincoln Gallery has expanded from a single room that displays art to a collaborative student-driven space that asks big questions and invites dialogue from other disciplines.
This model brings science, history, modern languages, English, math, etc. into our studio-based curriculum. Our gallery makes visible a process-based approach that doesn’t necessarily have definitive answers, and connects with the Visual Arts department, which is based in a contemporary art practice that incorporates traditional fine art as well as emerging technological and cultural advances.
In our first show of the 2015-16 season we tackle the ultimate question of “What is Art?”
Each week a different visual art class will explore this question, and how we go about finding our answers – our process – might reveal some truths. We’re keeping our search public so we encourage you to look into the gallery throughout the coming weeks and attend an opening or exhibit.
Stay tuned to the blog for updates, and leave your comments about our process – as well as your thoughts about what is art – below.
- Art of Boston: September 7- 11
- MS Visual Art Workshop: September 14-18
- Media and Message: September 21-25
- Mash-Up: September 28 – October 2
This gallery held such a variety that represented the different outlooks on art people can have. The picture of the 2015 Grade 12 class specifically spoke out to us because we are used to seeing this in the hallway–not in a gallery. It connected to the figure which is a common type of art, yet it relates to the message that “we are art.”
It sounds like you are talking about how something simply being in the gallery can change it into art, when it previously wasn’t thought of as art. Thank you for taking the time to reflect on our show, it means a lot to us.
When I first entered the new exhibit in the Nancy Lincoln gallery, I noticed how ordinary most of the exhibit was. Next I noticed the question ‘What is Art’ and that is what made my group members and I fascinated. Not only was the exhibit a bit nostalgic, but it brought to light the beauty of some pieces I have never acknowledged around the school grounds.
Thank you for the reply, you mention nostalgia and beauty and those words describe art perfectly. It seems like you and your group clearly understand the topic of “what is art”. As a group we wanted to show some artworks that people don’t normally notice and to show them that there is always beauty around the school, and you guys recognized it. Thanks again! Best
It is cool to see the art that we have seen all over the school in one place. We noticed that a lot of them are figure paintings and some of them aren’t things we have seen before.
Thank you for your response. During Our thought process we thought that figure paintings used to be very popular in the past so we wanted to mix that with our generations modern art pieces. We appreciate your writing and the art you create everyday. With love. -Matt
We think it is all art. At first some of us were confused about the class picture, but we understand the reasoning behind placing it in this gallery. Photography is a form of art and it made us think at first why is it here especially because there is not a lot of photography. When we first walked into the room, we saw the dragonfly because of it bright colors and strategic placement across from the door. Its amazing that the wet floor sign has visibly holding it up. This exhibit made us question what is art because we have seen these pieces around the school and have not looked at some of the pieces as art before.
Glad to hear the exhibit made you think and reflect on what art is. It seems like you took away the message we were trying to send to the viewers. We are surrounded by this art every day throughout the hallways and our classrooms and sometimes we don’t notice this “art” as art. These pieces of art are what our class as a whole consider to be art – which is why we placed it in this gallery. Photography specifically is something we thought people don’t always consider to be art but we think is a very significant addition to the art world.