“It’s both an interpretation of how the artist views their world and how they visually interpret it,” said Maya Gentilin ‘24.

Gentilin is an art history and Spanish double major and, along with fellow peers, spent the semester painstakingly curating a contemporary art exhibit.  

This abstract concept of the difference between view and vision is nestled in perfectly with the exhibit it describes, “Artists Collecting Artists,” that is currently on display in the Richardson Family Art Museum. 

The exhibit is a collection of abstract art by both local and international artists, and it embodies the heart of both the artists contributing and the viewer. Focused on the concept of identity, the exhibit aims to explore how the experiences of an artist walking through the world are captured within their art. 

“All of our work is contemporary art, meaning it’s by artists that are still living, so a lot of (their works) deal with current social and political issues relating to (their) identity,” Gentlin said. “That concept shifts from work to work.” 

Gentilin and other students worked with pieces donated by Jiha and Andy Moon Wilson, two established artists and collectors, to create a unique concept to be displayed. 

“We first had to come up with a theme that we wanted to explore. Then we picked out all of our [pieces] that fit that theme,” Gentilin said. “Then going through and deciding which one people are gonna see first, which one they’re gonna see last, so it’s definitely a process.” 

All of this work was a part of Wofford’s Museum Curator Youmi Efurd’s museum studies class that teaches students the behind the scenes work that goes into curating a museum. 

Curating the exhibit was not an easy task, but then came the process of being chosen for display. 

“[Jiha and Andy Moon Wilson] donated almost 50 works, and for part of Efurd’s museum studies class, we were given all of the works, and then told in groups to curate an exhibit using those and also using the title that Jihan had given us which was ‘Artists Collecting Artists,’” Gentilin said.

From those instructions, each group came up with their own idea of a curated exhibit.

“We did the exhibition statement, the layout, the wall text labels, and did a lot of research on how museums and galleries should function. And at the end only one group was selected.”

Gentilin’s group’s concept of identity intersecting with artistry was chosen in the end, and with it, Wofford’s museum set up and displayed the carefully thought out experience. 

Open to the public Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the exhibit is available through May 18th, with further exploration available through a curator’s talk on April 11th and an artist’s talk on April 25th.