New display shows up in Galvin

Feb. 10, 2005
By Keith Claussen
Online Editor

The Galvin Fine Arts Center showcases a new exhibit focusing on faith-based works of art.

The Artist and the Bible is a collection of art pieces focusing on religious beliefs and biblical interpretation. The entire catalogue of over 50 different pieces was composed sometime within the 20th century.

Eileen Eitrheim, Galvin Marketing Director, is very excited to have the collection on loan from Edward and Diane Knippers, the owners of all of the artwork.

“This is a really neat show, and part of our mission being a Catholic university.  It’s wonderful when we can bring in faith-based work,” said Eitrheim.  Eitrheim said that Galvin tries to bring a very broad variety of work.  Work can range from very contemporary work, to active artists that are living in the community today, to artists who live in other communities and come into town for their shows.

Eitrheim also emphasizes that historical pieces are important and are included with the display.

“This is certainly one of those shows that is historically significant for us, and we’re really excited to have it open to the public,” Eitrheim said.

Some of the artists featured in the show include Marc Chagall, Sue Coe, Otto Dix, and Oskar Kokoschka.  Chagall is a Jewish artist famous for his interpretation of the Old Testament. Sarah and the Angels and Hagar in the Dessert are two pieces depicting his style.  Coe is a British artist known for her political opinionated pieces and compositions that denounce ills of society. Belfast and Greed are two displayed examples of her viewpoints.

One of the featured styles of work in the collection is expressionism, a counter movement to the impressionism in Europe during the previous century. Examples from four different German artists are in the display representing this time period.

“The time period that this work was done in was a time period when most artwork was really away from religious work. After the Protestant Revolution, you start to have art being done for people’s homes - the church was not commissioning tons of art," Eitrheim said. “This particular time period, the doors really opened for artists to explore and expand what they were studying: what they were painting and drawing and printing and sculpting about.”

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