The Markosian Library at Taylorsville Redwood campus will highlight art created by the SLCC community until the end of fall semester.
The new display exhibit, titled SLCC Creatives, features a variety of works. Erica Gudiño, public services and outreach librarian, detailed her ambitions for the new project.
“I wanted to see the SLCC community represented. This is the first year of SLCC Creatives,” said Gudiño. “I wanted a more expansive term for the amazing work that [the] SLCC community is doing here. In our exhibit, we have sculptures, a sound board, photo book; we have paintings, poetry, and photography.”
One of the featured artists of the Markosian gallery, photographer Ashley Malmaceda, had done exhibits previously during high school. She shared some of the reasons she contributed to SLCC Creatives.
“I wanted to get my art out there and known in some way; getting some feedback and criticism on what I can work on, so [that] when I take new photos I will be motivated with that feedback,” Malmaceda said.
Gudiño stressed the importance of including contributions from non-students.
“I wanted to allow it to be more than just an art exhibit for students,” Gudiño said. “We focused on students, but we have some talented staff here. That is a lot of untapped potential here. That allows them to get their work out there and presented.”
Gudiño said SLCC Creatives intends to showcase diverse perspectives, highlight the activities of the SLCC community, and emphasize the library’s role as a hub for not only studying but art too.
“There were people hoping to see themselves represented [on campus],” Gudiño said. “We wanted to get a broader sense of what [the] SLCC community is doing here, and to remind folks that the library is a place for learning and art and exploring and more than just coming to study.”
Malmaceda believes that photography goes further than just the actual picture taken.
“Photography isn’t just landscape and nature. But it can be opted into whatever you want it to be. You opt [into] the photos in the image you want to [be] seen and to be perceived,” Malmaceda said.
Malmaceda’s enjoyed using photo editing on her favorite personal piece, titled “Reflection.”
“‘Reflection’ is Photoshopped and it is surrealism. It is one of my favorites,” Malmaceda said. “It [Photoshop] can add more to photography and what it can be — and [you can] have more fun with it.”
SLCC Creatives grew in popularity soon after the first pieces were put on display.
Gudiño said: “Once I started putting work up, I had people asking about it. I’ve gotten a lot of good responses from it.”
Gudiño anticipates that SLCC Creatives will be an ongoing initiative for the library, as they aim to increase the library’s outreach.
“I am hoping this is one of the continued work that we are going to be doing in the library,” Gudiño said. “We want to branch our name and Markosian Library’s potential. This is a larger part of our mission.”
To be showcased within the library, individuals must be affiliated with the SLCC community as a student, staff, faculty, or community member. Participants must also complete an online form, as well as meet with Gudiño to view the showcasing space. Pushpins are currently the only method of displaying artwork, so artists would need to give approval.
Malmaceda said the process was simple, with Gudiño’s guidance.
“It was pretty easy, Erica helped me with it,” Malmaceda said.
Malmaceda believes the exhibit offers many upsides and she would like to participate in more exhibits in the future.
“It’s a perfect way to showcase and get my photography out there” Malmaceda said. “[It] provides a way on how I see the world. Everyone sees the world in their own perspective[s] and I want to show it my way.”
SLCC Creatives will remain through the end of the semester. Participants will then remove their pieces after winter break.
For next year’s exhibit, the estimated submission deadline is planned for the end of October.
“If you want to enter something into the exhibit next year, I will start to take the SLCC Creatives in late August, once the fall semester starts,” Gudiño said.
