By Meredith Haas
Special to The Communitarian

DCCC’s Art Gallery is presenting a Contemporary Exhibition, juried by Jodi Throckmorton, a Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts curator, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nov. 6 to Dec. 13. The exhibition is one of several showcasing mediums by emerging artists in the Philadelphia area.

Three pieces placed first, second and third respectively, as chosen by the juror: “Flesh Trap,” a sculpture by Alyssa Marchozzi; “MOVEBOMB,” a painting by Jermaine Ollivierre; and “Five Facts About Tears,” a video by Xu Han.

“There is always something new and fascinating to find.”

– Michelle Curet

During the exhibition’s opening reception on Nov. 6, Throckmorton, formerly the associate curator at the San Jose Museum of Art and the curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University in Kansas, described her work as a juror and was available with the artists to talk to attendees.

“Many artists chose to work with found materials to make sculptures that evoke, but do not explicitly depict the human body,” Throckmorton said.

Assistant Art Gallery director Caitlin Flaherty believes the gallery’s purpose is to evoke colorful chatter about the professional artists’ and the college alumni’s work.

“Caitlin is able to create such a great flow with all of the art,” gallery employee and DCCC student Michelle Curet said. “Everything flows from one new experience to the next and you feel everything because of how she set it up.”

Curet, who sits in the gallery most days checking students in and conversing with fellow art lovers, said she finds herself immersed at times. No matter how many days she is in there, she said she is always finding something new.

According to Curet, many students come in before and after class to enjoy the gallery’s colors and sounds — including cartoon bunnies dancing and a man moving slowly through a mound of red sand — as well as discussions about the artwork and what it means.

“I am not the most artistic, but I love seeing how different shapes and shades are used,” DCCC student Brion Hammond said. “I thought these artists were only student artists, so it’s cool knowing they’re professionals.”

Every six to eight weeks Caitlin and a team of assistants remove art, repaint the walls and prepare for a new show. Curet praised Flaherty’s devotion to finding just the right location for every piece.

“I have always loved art, but I am so lucky to work with Caitlin and this gallery,” Curet said. “There is always something new and fascinating to find.”

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