Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
Entropy, or the tendency of an orderly system towards disorder, is the theme and title of the Kitao Gallery’s current show. On Friday, February 29, the gallery opened “Entropy,” making it the first show of the semester. “Entropy” features the work of a number of students in a dizzying array of photos, colors, collage, and mixed media.
Art is suspended from the ceiling, decoupaged onto walls and tables and playfully posted against newspaper to create a bright, willfully messy effect. Whimsical and disorganized, the gallery’s theme is a striking collaborative artistic effort. When asked how they developed the idea for “Entropy,” Isaac Hock ‘11 explained, “The way that we work really lends itself to this theme.”
Another artistic collaborator and among the show’s creators, Blaine O’Neill ’11, observed that the “Entropy” project became a way for students to “de-stress” during midterms and the rush before spring break. He spoke enthusiastically about the project and both Hock and O’Neill emphasized the process of creating the exhibit, preparing the installations, as an enjoyable experience.
The show is also a unique opportunity for Swarthmore students to become acquainted with the many talents of their fellow students in the class of 2011 and 2010. All of the artists featured are underclassmen and O’Neill notes that they are “not necessarily people in art classes or the art department.”
For “Entropy,” the entire process was a collaborative one, allowing the artists’ to have a say in how others would see and interact with their work. “We definitely want to do this again,” adds O’Neill in response to whether he would consider getting involved in more Kitao shows this semester. Those who have yet to see the exhibit are encouraged to stop by this evening between 5 and 7.
