The University is the home of one of the three largest college museums in the country, and the Zimmerli Student Advisory Board is working to expose students to the various forms of art found at the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum on the College Avenue campus.
The ZSAB hosted its second “First Wednesdays – Art After Hours” of the year Wednesday at the museum.
ZSAB Chair Mary Greene, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, thinks the University has a great art resource within the museum, as well as a place for students to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee.
“We want the [“Art After Hours”] events to show students how great [the] Zimmerli is, and to make them comfortable enough to just come in on any afternoon and enjoy the atmosphere and the people,” Greene said.
The evening started off with a performance from School of Arts and Sciences senior Ross Lippencott, guitarist of “The N Result.”
“We decided to have [Lippencott] back as a solo artist this month so we could also showcase his individual talents,” she said.
Following Lippencott’s performance, attendees could choose between going on tours of exhibits in the museum, watching a film or attending the poetry showcase.
Alfredo Franco, the museum’s education curator, chose to screen the film “Mechanic to Millionaire: The Peter Cooper Story” by producer/director Janet Gardner because he thinks her movies are not only interesting and educational, but also deliver important messages, he said.
Peter Cooper symbolizes a time of transition for the American economy, from small shops to larger corporations, said Princeton University Professor Sean Wilentz.
Cooper played an important role in that transition, building large, successful companies by never fearing to take risks, Wilentz said. He lived his life with great social responsibility and took his self-made wealth and gave it back to the community, which is something we can all learn from.
The Zimmerli’s Community Relations Coordinator, Rebecca Brenowitz, said the audience seemed to love the movie.
“It was nice that people were inspired to change their lives based on the life of a man living almost two centuries ago,” Brenowitz said.
“First Wednesdays – Art After Hours” also featured an open mic and poetry showcase. School of Arts and Sciences first-year student Angela Chien and Amber Mirza, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, shared a variety of their own compositions, from sonnets to soliloquies to songs.
Rutgers College senior Jewel Lim said it was great seeing such talent among her fellow students.
“This is my last semester at Rutgers. I wish I had known about this and gotten more involved, everyone was so expressive and moving,” Lim said. “It makes you realize that there are beautiful souls out there.”
School of Engineering junior Mike Maffei was also impressed by the amount of talent and diversity of University students. After performing a cover of a song, he decided to sing one of his own compositions.
“I know I’m not as lyrically inclined as all of you here, but I’ll give it a go,” he said.
In addition to University students and the New Brunswick community, the ZSAB also invited East Brunswick High School seniors to experience Art After Hours, Brenowitz said.
“We had about 60 EBHS students here tonight. … [We] were really excited to show them how much Rutgers has to offer in addition to great research, fun sports and strong academics, she said.”
EBHS senior Khyra Lammers called the experience bizarre.
“It was weird, in a good way, to be in such a cool museum, but still knowing you’re in a college,” Lammers said. “I feel like I should be in New York City or something.”
Attendees were able to take tours of exhibits throughout the night.
The ZSAB chose to conduct tours of the “Trailblazers of the 21st Century” exhibit, one of Zimmerli’s newest exhibits, as well a “Highlights of the American Gallery” tour, which board members chose because they don’t think enough people visited and appreciated the American gallery, Greene said.
“I really liked the American wing, we heard interesting stories about the paintings and the history behind it,” Lammers said.
All in all, the event was successful in the eyes of the ZSAB, Greene said.
“We’re always trying to get more students into the museum, and I think we’re really making progress,” she said.
One of the main objects of the Student Advisory Board is to gain a strong following in the monthly events organized at the museum, Brenowitz said.
“Tonight was really special, we showcased all aspects of art, from film to poetry to paintings to photographs,” she said.
The next “First Wednesdays – Art After Hours” will be on Dec. 2, but members of the ZSAB hope students will first attend their Masquerade Ball on Nov. 7, Greene said.
“I don’t think Rutgers has many events as formal as the one we are planning,” she said. “Hopefully people will get dressed up in their finest, and come out to experience something like the [Metropolitan Museum of Art’s] Costume Ball.”
Thanks : Daily Targum