Third annual Art-ahhh-thon features 3-D printing demonstration, tattoo documentary
The College of Arts and Sciences will host its third annual Art-ahhh-thon on Friday, featuring artistic events from various departments within the college.
The purpose of the event, according to Aldemaro Romero, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, is to showcase the arts in the college.
“[Art-ahhh-thon] shows about the dynamics and strength of our academic departments when it comes to the arts in a very broad sense,” Romero said. “… It’s a way to showcase these things on campus, but we also announce these [events] outside campus.”
The concept, according to Romero, is to host a day-long event featuring multiple departments in the college. Art and design, theater and dance, music, mass communications, English and the University Museum will all have exhibits or performances throughout the day.
One new aspect in this year’s event is the 3-D printing, which will take place from noon – 4 p.m. in the Dunham Hall foyer. Each department has selected a representative to conduct a printing demonstration.
“In the past we have had music and readings and theater showings of films, but this is the first time that we are employing this kind of technology [as art],” Romero said.
The English Language and Literature Association (ELLA) will host a poetry reading from 11 a.m. – noon in Peck Hall 3117. Cody Slauson, ELLA president and poetry graduate student, said English Department Chair Sharon McGee asked the organization to get involved. Six students will read mostly original works, including freshmen Kenny Coleman and Stephen King and graduate student Ali Vlahos , according to Slauson.
“We’ve done some events where we read work that’s already been published by somebody else, but we find that it’s more fun to read something no one else has heard before,” Slauson said.
A documentary, “Art Under the Skin,” by senior mass communications major Kristina Souser will be screened throughout the day in Dunham Hall lobby. Souser said mass communications professor Tom Atwood, who teaches a documentary course, suggested her documentary for the Art-ahh-thon activities. The work is “an artistic view of tattoos,” according to Souser, which features Underground Artworks co-owner and tattoo artist Trevis Stallard.
“The reason why I chose the topic is because not a lot of people see tattoos as an art form,” Souser said, “and I guess I just wanted to explore more about it, and I chose a local artist here in Edwardsville and he has over 40 awards.”
Art-ahhh-thon, according to Slauson, is “tremendously significant” despite the college’s “great job of bringing the arts to the students.”
“[In our culture], arts are so undervalued that you can’t do enough,” Slauson said, “… It’s a great space to introduce students who’ve never really considered art…”
The event spawned out of a conference Romero attended, at which he learned about other universities hosting “these types of marathon events.”
Filed Under: Art and Design • English Language & Lit • Faculty News • Mass Communications • Music • Theater & Dance