Now on view outdoors at Voorhees Mall near College Avenue thru October 1, 2019.
"What use are Flowers"
“What Use Are Flowers?” is an exhibition of ten outdoor sculptures
made by MFA students in Patrick Strzelec and Ohad Meromi's 2019 spring
graduate sculpture course at Mason Gross School of the Arts. Our
inspirations range from music, politics, history, nature and the
environment, to subjects related to Rutgers’ history specifically,
including the centennials of the founding of Douglass College and Paul
Robeson’s graduation from the university. We developed our ideas,
material choices, and collaborative processes as we immersed ourselves
in conversations and texts about the unique implications, constraints
and possibilities of public art.
These sculptures are the fruit of our explorations and collaborations
over several months. They offer opportunities for reflection and
contemplation, diverse emotional, physical, and aesthetic experiences,
and collectively weave together art and a social and natural
environment outside of gallery walls. Much like Lorraine Hansberry’s
short play of the same title, “What Use Are Flowers?” suggests a
spirit of participation and engagement rather than acquiescence. The
exhibition questions and challenges status quos, makes a case for the
value of the seemingly futile, and aims to inspire curiosity,
conversation, and understanding in those who encounter the sculptures.