It’s only one week before the opening of the Master of Fine Arts Graduate Exhibition, “MFA 2000” at the Museum of Art, and sculptor David Norem is still deciding what to do with his stone carving centerpiece.
The alabaster and soapstone work sits in the middle of his impressive studio, which he has installed into the museum. The classical-looking stone carving is immersed in a room covered wall to wall with vibrant, colorful, dream-like drawings. It almost seems paradoxical to have this conservative sculpture in the center of such chaos, but Norem thinks of it as the eye of the storm.
“I don’t know if I’ll be drawing on it, or throwing paint on it, or finishing it,” Norem said. He said that his art is always in a state of motion and, just because he is showing at “MFA 2000” doesn’t mean that the work is finished.
“It has no end. It doesn’t have to be over, and to a certain extent, it never really had a beginning,” he said.
Norem sees installing his studio into the museum as an attempt to break down the barrier between art and life.
“I’m working in here trying to create as much energy and as much evidence of work as possible,” he said.
Norem said that he is trying to transcend the museum space — and it works. When you walk into Norem’s corner of the exhibit, you can’t help but experience a feeling that you could be anywhere, coupled with a child-like sense of wonder. Norem describes it as “world-building.”
This kind of transformation is not limited to just Norem’s area in the gallery. The feel of the entire museum has received a makeover for “MFA 2000.” The MFA has a reputation for innovation and the kind of unbridled creativity that Norem is displaying. Usually the art museum features more traditional art, and it’s rare that the artists are actually present when the work is put up. With the MFA, the 12 students have divided the space up among themselves and do the installation work themselves.
“It’s nice to give our audiences variety, and we always have a good turnout,” public relations and marketing coordinator Kaci Manning said. “There is a broad range of mediums that mesh really well.”
Photography, printmaking, ceramics, visual design and sculpture will all be on display during “MFA 2000.”
Although the art changes, the role of the museum stays the same, according to Manning.
“Being part of the University, we put on educational exhibitions,” Manning said. “We have different audiences for the different shows. The MFA show targets the University.”
Another sculptor, Reneé DeCarlo, uses flesh as material for her art. She takes animal intestines, cuts the tubes into strips, soaks them in hot water and stretches them out. She then applies them to a frame work. The result is a cocoon like structure called “the Beginning, the Middle and the End.”
“The whole concept was that I wanted to make these chambers that are places of rest and release from anxiety,” DeCarlo said.

Her exhibit is a compilation of 2 years of work. As well as displaying her sculptures, she will also be showing 350 feet of drawings that she calls her “journals.” DeCarlo sees her unconventional approach to sculpture as an expression of her self.
“I’m glad that there is tradition in art making, but I think that’s just there for us to reference and to derive our energy from,” Rigby said. “Everything here is very personal to me.”
The MFA exhibit will run from April 29 to June 11. Every Wednesday night, the MusEvening! artist gallery talks will feature MFA students speaking about their work. These gallery talks begin at 5:30 p.m. with the exception of David Norem’s talk, which will be at 7:00 p.m. May 31. The Master of Fine Arts exhibition opens Saturday. An opening reception for the artists will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday. The reception is free and open to the public.