GRACE LUKENS, Special to The Denisonian—

What does propaganda from WWII, Taller de Gráfica Popular and tire rims have to do with each other? 

The answer is that they are all the focuses of Denison Museum’s two exhibitions which opened to the public on August 29. The exhibits are titled Be A Good Neighbor and Razed Here; Raised Here. 

Megan Hancock, the Curator of Education and Exhibitionsat the Denison Museum states that “a museum is inherently a collaborative space.” Having the privilege of sharing the stories of both of these exhibits  exemplifies an aspect of collaboration: between nations, people, objects and environments. 

Be A Good Neighbor, an exhibit constructed with help from Dension Art History professor Julia Fernandez, focuses on the nuances of the transnational relations between the U.S. and other Latin American countries from the 1930s-40s and onwards. The exhibit highlights different forms of art such as portraits and prints portraying different parts of life during the mid-twentieth century. Some pieces have a political message, while others simply depict scenes of everyday life. 

“It’s not something I think we see quite as much,” stated museum employee, Ava Goodwin ‘23. “We don’t see a lot of prints about daily life, so I think that aspect of it is really interesting.” 

Razed Here; Raised Here is a 3-D exhibition created by Dension professor Justin Coleman, also known by his artist name, JSTN CLMN. This exhibit involves the exploration of urban life through ceramics and other found objects. With his intent of what he describes as “capturing the feel or essence of a space,” Coleman uses his personal experiences in his art to reflect aspects of his perspectives on city life. The unique mixture of ceramics and other objects in a disjointed, “unnatural” way highlights the tension and politics of urban spaces.

The exhibitions will both run until December 9th. Eisner also provides the museum with many opportunities to be immersed in the art through workshops, questionnaires, and artist talks in the exhibit space. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 12pm to 4pm or by appointment, and additional activities and information can be found on the Denison Museum website. 

The next time you exit the Eisner Center from a class, rehearsal or any other reason, be sure to check out the exhibits before you go!