2014 Fine Art Faculty Biennale at Benedictine University

Once every two years, the Fine Art faculty at Benedictine University offer a peek at what they do artistically outside of teaching in the classroom. Faculty were invited to participate from Benedictine's Lisle, Springfield and Mesa, Arizona campuses. This year, the exhibition featured painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, book-making, and photography.

One of the exhibit's true standouts, was a large painting by newcomer Michael Tole, who teaches at the Mesa campus in Arizona. Tole's abstracted male figure appears to be descending a series of steps, as though this person is either descending into hell, or an angel is descending down from heaven. It is eerie and thought-provoking in its multi-staged abstraction, and harkens to Marcel Duchamp's "Nude Descending a Staircase".

Vincent Lucarelli's color photographs from his recent visit to Italy were a tantalizing view of Lake Cuomo and would make anyone yearn to go visit that land of art and culture. He also included his continuing forays into infared photography with a view of a local Naperville attraction. 

David Marcet's large-scale, playful paintings of his children at the beach speak to his personal interests and delight the viewers. Marcet has been exhibiting his work in the US, and in this case departed from his life-sized Chair series of people sitting in a chair.

Internationally known ceramicist Bob Dixon's three pieces exude the plasticity of his craft, and his physical engagement with the forms he works with.His homage continues to lean toward the artist Peter Voulkos and those artists making ceramic as sculpture rather than utilitarian vessels. He teaches at the Springfield campus.

Another standout in this exhibition was the work of Hai-Ri Han, head of the Graphic Arts & Design program at Benedictine University. As in previous shows, her work wows the viewer with her hand-crafted handmade books. Her sensitivity and expertise with the paper and lettering are full-fledged works of art and make the viewer want to see more of her work.

William Scarlato, head of the Fine Art program at Ben U, exhibited paintings which address his long standing series on modernist abstraction vs. his realistic landscape and still life. This small painting of a cluttered group of small objects on the canvas, was a departure from his normal color-controlled range, and sparkled like a jewel. 

Other surprises in the exhibit were new Lisle faculty member Stacy Jo Barber's charming color pencil drawing of her newborn son. Barber teaches drawing and Art Therapy.

One of the Springfield's faculty members, Michael presented a very engaging multimedia abstraction of collage and paint on board. His work deals with subjects of his personal interest, and the work presented a pleasant relief from so much academic realist rendering elsewhere in the exhibition.

 "The Pretty Ones" was a series of four collage drawings of Lisle teacher/curator Teresa J. Parker. Her work deals with the often uncomfortable topic of domestic violence.  These splintered and fragmented pieces stood apart from the rest of the exhibition, which at first glance seemed a pleasant nice, quiet show; until seeing Parker's work which literally blew the rest of the works out of the water. Kudos to her for bringing visual voice to a difficult subject. 

The exhibition ran through October 10th,  on the 2^nd floor atrium gallery space of the Kindlon Hall of Learning.

Kindlon hall is open to the public M-Sun 8:00a.m.- 10:00p.m. For any questions about this exhibit, or others on campus, please contact us at cgaddis@ben.edu or call 630-829-6320, or visit our website at www.ben.edu/artgallery