The Fellowship of “The Traveling Canvas”

At the Fine Arts Gallery last week, an exhibition titled The Traveling Canvas was shown where mulitple artists contributed to a shared piece of art on a canvas resulting in a unity of contrasted images.

A world’s worth of art has traveled to the Golden Eagle campus.

“The Traveling Canvas” exhibition is a collaboration from artists around the globe, currently displayed at Cal State LA’s Ronald H. Silverman Fine Arts Gallery.

“The Traveling Canvas” is a collection of canvases, each one painted on by five different artists. Each artist spent about two months with a piece before being sent somewhere else in the world.

Right next to each canvas is a series of photos that show the progress of the painting as it was passed along. The project was curated by Cynthia Penna and jill moniz, who both referred to it as an “experiment.”

Penna said it took almost a year to select the 10 total artists who are from countries such as Senegal, Italy, Japan and the U.S., among others. At the start of this project, the artists did not collaborate nor did they know each other.

“As far as this exhibit specifically, and how it can benefit our students, [I hope] for them to see the idea of art is not just a solitary practice. That we can work collaboratively and create something that uses synergy and that it can spur our own individual creativity as well as become a community type activity,” said Art Department Chair Rebecca Davis.

The exhibit went on display Aug. 19 at the Fine Arts Gallery. Within the first few days, 70 to 80 people visited, according to Fine Arts Gallery Director Mika Cho.

“Every single [one] of them, they were so fascinated by the idea,” said Cho about visitors’ reactions.

The opening reception will take place on Aug. 31. Both curators, Penna and moniz, will attend along with some of the artists. Penna said some of the artists attending will be meeting each other for the first time.

“I’m excited to see how people react to the work,” said moniz when asked what she’s looking forward to the most about the reception.

“The Traveling Canvas” will be at the Fine Arts Gallery until Sept. 25 and is free to visit.

“I know we all have a hectic life, but I wish [students] can take some time, Saturday night, just a night out, stop studying, and put things aside and come out [to visit],” said Cho.