Since Sept. 8, faculty of the University’s school of art and design has displayed their own work at the Krannert Art Museum. The faculty art exhibition at the University has been an event since the 1920s, which makes it one of the oldest faculty art exhibitions in the country.

Katie Yancey, freshman in FAA, was told about the exhibition by one of her professors, Associate Professor Gerald Guthrie.

“It’s very interesting to see your professors work,” Yancey said. “It’s kind of intimidating to me and makes me want to work harder.”

Aciano, by Assistant Professor Judi Ross, was inspired by an untitled poem written by Harvey L. Hix. The exhibit occupied a central position at the exhibition and was hard to miss. Made using silk, wood, fiberglass, paint and cast polyurethane, the work was initially displayed as a solo exhibit in Oaxaca, Mexico at an art gallery. For the faculty art exhibition, however, only a small part of a much larger installation, which had included sound and landscaping, was shown.

“From my work, I’m hoping that my work activates someone’s imagination and curiosity,” Ross said. “There is a common kind of thread that they can get a sense of my thoughts. Most of all, I think as a culture we need to be more curious and imaginative.”

Visitors Lisa Baird, professor at North Central Purdue, and Purna Bannerjee, professor at Millikin University, were very impressed by a lot of the pieces. Bannerjee in particular was taken with Assistant Professor John Jennings’s work on display.

“I like his work,” she said. “Its very bold and very stark. I particularly like the stars and stripes with Ragnarok (the Scandinavian Mythological hell) inscribed on the top. I like the interesting bleeding of red with saffron and how red is associated with the left.

“This is very jarring to the senses, its like scratching nails against a blackboard.”

Jennings’ contemporary socio-political themes combined with an urban design to his work drew many students to his exhibits.

Among the visitors was Andrew Sealey, a postdoctoral student in engineering.

“I never used to like art when I was younger, but I’m starting to like it,” Sealey said. “It’s more cool, you can try and read something into it,” referring to Jennings’ work.

Sealey particularly liked Professor Timothy Van Laar’s Michigan Postcard Series: Finding order in nature. The work used oil and inkjet on wood- a few of the very diverse media used by the faculty.

“This is my favorite bit. Being a scientist, I find it very interesting finding order in nature,” he said.

Professor Ron Kovatch’s ‘Existential Musings’ portrayed many mature themes with dark ideas and imagery in a simple yet visible way. Many students visiting the exhibition discussed the ideas behind the sketches and how they relate to it.

“Some things I don’t like, but the thing about art is you don’t have to know much about it to like it,” said Paul Szymiczek, sophomore in Engineering, who checked out the exhibition with a group of friends.

The exhibition will be open until Oct. 2. There will be faculty talks on Wednesdays at noon until the close of the exhibition.