Books, study spaces and art exhibits: Exploring Thompson Library’s not-so-secret gallery

Rachael Forsythe
Thu, 19 Oct 2023 01:56:08 +0000
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Within the often-bustling Thompson Library sits a small gallery space, where the exhibition “Abject Object: Feminism, Art & the Academy” currently resides. Featuring materials that contribute to the feminist art movement at Ohio State, the exhibit will be on display until March 3.
Credit: Courtesy of Cameron Sharp

Thompson Library is beloved by countless Ohio State students for its appealing layout and abundance of study areas — so much so that it was voted “best library” by Lantern readers this year. But contrary to what many imagine when they picture a library, the space has more to offer than just books.

Roughly once a semester, Thompson displays a new exhibit in its gallery space that is free and open to the public, Ohio State art and design librarian Courtney Hunt said. Located on the first floor of the library, Hunt said the gallery aims to spread awareness about the deep research collections held by the university.

“Abject Object: Feminism, Art & the Academy” is the current exhibit on display, which encourages viewers to examine art through the lens of female objectification and “making a defiant act in the face of oppression,” according to its website. Contrary to what is listed online at the time of publication, Hunt — also the exhibit’s curator — said the closing date has been extended to March 3.

Hunt said she chose to present “Abject Object” in Thompson’s gallery because of its emphasis on feminist art’s rich history, particularly throughout the 1980s. She said the exhibit’s purpose is to unite members of the community under one important, impactful movement.

“The point of me doing this now is that I wanted to show how feminist ideas and influences had sort of impacted the arts here on campus, but also this through line to the contemporary moment we’re in,” Hunt said.

Annelise Duque, a second-year graduate student pursuing a master’s in art, has a photography triptych called “Cut, Crack, Chop” displayed in the exhibit. Duque said her specific piece delves into the “interior and exterior experiences” of being a woman of color.

“Through this work, I’m thinking about in-between spaces and dream logic and uncanny imagery that draws the viewer in,” Duque said. “And there’s a push and pull between the desire to look at the image and the feeling like it’s something being portrayed that you shouldn’t see.”

The exhibit’s cases hold materials from University Archives, the Rare Books & Manuscripts Library and the Fine Arts Library, which Hunt said deal with the institutional history of feminist art on campus. She said there are also current, contemporary pieces crafted by faculty, alumni and graduate students, such as Duque’s photo series.

“The takeaway I really want students and faculty to get from viewing is that this legacy has not gone away, but rather folks in art are still grappling with the idea of feminism and what that means today,” Hunt said.

Duque said some featured works from the university’s archival collections were created by influential feminist theorists who have served as an inspiration to her as an artist. These historical pieces establish a connection between the past and present of feminist art, even if indirectly, she said.

“Even though it’s a tangential connection, and it’s more like programs and posters and letters, it’s still really powerful that these women spoke at OSU or showed work in Columbus,” Duque said. “I think it’s really powerful that the work of alumni and current faculty are in conversation with those influential women.”

Featured works created by faculty, alumni and graduate students in “Abject Object” provide a modern-day insight into the feminist art movement in both overt and indirect manners, according to the exhibit’s website.?

With pieces from a wide array of artists — including Duque, Brianna Gluszak, Dionne Lee, Paloma Martinez-Cruz, Bryan Ortiz, Gina Osterloh and Carmen Winant — the exhibit aims to inspire a dialogue about the development and influence of feminism as a visual art, the website states.

Duque said she hopes the exhibit challenges viewers’ conceptions of feminism as a movement.?

“I think that it’s easy to think about feminism as something that was necessary in the past,” Duque said. “I think a lot of people think that these topics and these theories are no longer necessary, and I think that promoting women’s voices and stories and experiences is really still very important to do.”

Hunt agreed.

“No matter how concretely we feel our views are expressed, the production of knowledge and ideas of feminist thought continue to evolve through the making of visual art, so the conversation continues to live,” Hunt said.

In the grand scheme of art at Thompson, Duque said she thinks the gallery space is a beneficial component of the library that more students should visit.

“It’s a very high-traffic area,” Duque said. “I think if a student wandered into the space or saw the space, and was introduced to a point of view or a way of thinking or something that changes their mind of how they look at the world, I think that is a really incredible opportunity for everyone.”

“Abject Object” will be on view Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., until March 3. More information about the exhibit and the Thompson Library Gallery in general can be found on the library’s website.