European works featured

The University of South Dakota art galleries will incorporate the Eastern European culture with their Kleinprints exhibit. The exhibit will feature 45 to 60 prints from Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia and Ukraine.

The exhibit will be held in the John A. Day Art Gallery March 5 — 26. A reception for the exhibit will be held March 23 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Director of University Art Galleries Alison Erazmus said the exhibition uses works from the collection of Henry Klein.

“Henry Klein collects Eastern European prints,” Erazmus said. “He’s a person who has worked with the intention to sell most of it and his specialty is the Eastern European works that are made from paper.”

Klein is bringing this exhibition to USD because there is a very strong printmaking program where a Master of Fine Arts Degree is offered, Erazmus said.

Erazmus said the exhibit will be interesting for students because the prints represent a different culture.

“You have a different economic system, a different governing system and a history that is different from American history,” Erazmus said. “It’s a very old history. It represents where civilization emerged from.”

Freshman Nicole Beaubien has been to Eastern Europe and said she appreciates the idea of USD bringing in work from another culture.

“The difference in art from Europe to America is amazing,” Beaubien said. “It’s great that the students will be able to see artwork from the European culture.”

The themes for the exhibit are more figurative and have limited colors, mostly grayscale and monotone, Erazmus said.

“Rendering is very important to these artists,” Erazmus said. “The exhibit has realistic subject matter about the interesting part of the world where there is communism instead of a democracy or capitalism along with old religions; it’s a very different culture.”

Erazmus said the exhibit will be relatable to students because USD has an increasing amount of international students.

“A lot of students come here from other parts of the world because the one thing that is really great about American public universities is that we are relatively inexpensive,” Erazmus said. “In other countries there is a limited enrollment and a limited set of degrees that you can get.”

Erazmus said there is a global perspective in America, although some people don’t see it.

“We live in a global society where we can’t ignore our neighbors,” Erazmus said. “The clothing we wear, the food we eat and the jewelry we put on our bodies all comes from outside countries.”

The reception for the Kleinprints exhibit is free and open to the public, Erazmus said.

“The reception is for the students and the community to come and enjoy,” Erazmus said. “Although the reception will not focus on one particular artist, the pieces will be discussed for the students and the community.”

Reach reporter Emily Niebrugge at [email protected]