Exhibit uncovers USU’s lost treasures
The “Lost Treasures of Utah State University” exhibit features long-forgotten work of alumni and visiting professors whose art has been dug out of storage.
Christopher Terry, associate dean of the Caine College of the Arts, said the main focus of this exhibit is piecing together clues from the art and artists to create a story about the history of USU.
“The idea is that each piece has a narrative. There’s a story behind each one,” Terry said.
Some pieces are old, but some are relatively new art from visiting professors who gave demonstrations and donated their work. Because the older artworks have been in storage for many years, not much is known about some of them, Terry said. Not all pieces are from known authors. Some signatures are illegible or are missing altogether, while other artists have long passed away, he said.
Terry said he sought to discover the history behind each of these works but was unsuccessful at finding artists for all of them.
“Our project was to answer these questions before the show,” Terry said.
He said he is offering prizes to viewers who can provide clues to unlock the mystery of some of the artwork.
The exhibit’s featured piece is a large fabric collage commissioned for the opening of the Chase Fine Arts Center in 1968. Though the piece starred in a USU magazine that same winter, Terry said he has been unable to discover the artist behind the “campy” collage.
“I have been trying for the last four months, maybe five, to try to find out what artist made this piece — unsuccessfully,” Terry said.
After talking with various retired faculty and alumni, Terry said no one seemed to know who made the work of art. Using some detective work, he said he uncovered some clues to the art’s origin. Because the large frame it’s built upon resembles stage flats, Terry said it may have some connection with the theater department.
Terry is the head curator for the exhibit, but he said the only piece he chose to display was the fabric collage. The rest of the selections were prepared by students. After browsing an enormous selection of art in storage, the junior curators chose their favorites to put on display for the exhibit.
The varieties of art displayed includes lithographs, collages, ceramics, drawings and old, vinyl music records.
Student-curator Randy Golding chose the collection of antique 78-rpm records, which were found in the music department’s storage.
“(Christopher Terry) and I thought it would be great to feature these records that no one really knows anything about,” Golding said. “I love the concept of finding lost art and displaying it. So that is why I got involved.”
Sally Rydalch, another student-curator, said she also shares a love for lost artwork.
“I just kind of connected. I enjoy seeing things that aren’t seen very much. I wanted to be able to help with that so that other people could enjoy these pieces, too,” Rydalch said.
Graduate student-curator Joshua Kuensting chose to display various ceramics because of his matching major, and he said he looked for “work that had some kind of continuity.”
James Ito, an art history major, said he volunteered as a student-curator so he could get experience organizing shows for when he becomes a museum curator, and he also loves handling artwork.
“I love stuff. I love just handling stuff with my hands and putting it up on my walls and having other people enjoy the things that I’ve found,” he said.
Ito said he had originally picked 14 pieces to show but had to narrow his selection down to six.
“I saw all these things down there and it was very hard for me to pick just a few. There are thousands of things down there,” Ito said.
Among his chosen pieces is a charcoal drawing by Frankie Morris.
After 40 years, Morris said she was surprised to discover her work displayed.
“That’s why people do art is because they want to share it. So, naturally, I’m quite pleased to have it on display,” Morris said.
She said she produced the work for a graduate thesis project and was inspired by Franz Kafka’s novel “The Trial.”
Terry said many student-curators had a hard time choosing their pieces because of the large amount of artwork the university has.
“I could have filled the gallery 100 times over with all the work that’s on campus. So, it’s just a tiny, tiny selection of what’s available,” he said.
Terry said he hopes community members will take this rare chance to see artwork that may not be seen again for years.
The rediscovered art will be on display at the Tippetts Exhibit Hall in the Chase Fine Arts Center between Feb. 21 and March 22. An opening reception will be Feb. 24 from 5-7 p.m.
– l.nemelka@aggiemail.usu.edu