Unique art exchange exhibition coming to Olin Hall
October 22, 2014
A new art exhibition featuring artwork that literally has traveled the world will make its debut at Roanoke College's Olin Hall Galleries starting this week through early December.
It's called the Mail Art Project, and it is similar to a pen-pal artist exchange.
For the exhibition, Talia Logan, Olin Gallery's director, sent postcard-sized pieces of art to artists, art institutions, schools and other places. Each artist was asked to add to the art in some way and either return it to Olin or to pass it on to someone else. Recipients could also create their own mail art piece and send it back to Olin Hall or keep the mail art they received.
Starting last year, Logan began contacting people from across the globe to participate in the project. Roanoke has since received artwork from such places as Japan, Uruguay, Serbia and South Africa.
The project was so popular that Roanoke received artwork from individuals who had never been contacted by the College.
As the art came in, Logan marked each piece on a world map and tagged the locations where the art traveled and who added to each work.
One of the pieces is from Roanoke alumna Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo '78.
Cassullo, a member of Roanoke's Board of Trustees, sent to Olin Hall the first letter that she received while she was a Roanoke student.
Check out the interactive Mail Art Project map to see where Roanoke art has traveled.
On the map, the red flags indicate mail sent from Roanoke. The yellow flags show art that was sent out but never reached its destination. Green flags indicate art that was returned to Olin Hall.
From Oct. 24 to Dec. 5, Olin Hall Galleries will display the art for its MAP exhibition in Smoyer Gallery. An opening reception for the exhibition will be held Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. in Smoyer Gallery.
The works displayed will be placed in the College's Permanent Art Collection for future programming and exhibitions.
Published Oct. 22, 2014
By Allison Shannon