Drag is an art form that goes back centuries. Many historians claim it originated with Shakespeare, whose plays were performed entirely by men—and men dressed as women. By the 1970s, following the Stonewall Uprising, the art of drag had cemented itself in American culture. Drag foremothers like Divine and Crystal LaBeija would pave the way for what it is today. Though it has evolved much over time, drag in its many forms is an expression of our creativity and humanity that has persisted throughout history.
Skye Dlugy-Hegwer, Staff Writer
• January 22, 2023
UNCW’s Studio Art Faculty Biennial opened Thursday, Jan. 12, giving visitors a view into the creative process and creations of some of the university’s studio art faculty. The sixteen exhibiting artists display artworks pondering personal themes as well as global ones in a multitude of different artistic mediums including quilting, metalsmithing, painting, photography and ceramics.
Skye Dlugy-Hegwer, Staff Writer
• November 29, 2022
Twelve graduating senior Studio Art majors debuted their artworks at the opening reception for the Senior Art Exhibition on Nov. 18. As a graduation requirement for majors, many of the included artists used this show to ponder themes of personal trauma, forgiveness and capturing moments in time. Multiple exhibiting artists expressed interest in the female body that, in part, relates to recent political events that impact women’s bodily autonomy. This striking show is now on public view at the CAB Gallery until Dec. 14, the end of the semester.
Skye Dlugy-Hegwer, Staff Writer
• November 20, 2022
With the rise of fast fashion in recent decades and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, remaining small businesses face challenges of existing in an oversaturated, fast-paced consumer landscape. In spite of the challenges, people like Courtney Rivenbark, owner and creator of Cococlem, persist with their small businesses, focusing on sustainable, ethical products that make a positive impact in the fashion world. As a size-inclusive, made-to-order clothing brand with all fabric prints designed by Rivenbark, her business is truly unique to her.
This October, WILMA Magazine announced the 35 finalists selected for the WILMA’s 2022 Women to Watch Awards, which included four current UNCW faculty. One of those four finalists iwas Sayantani Dasgupta, an Assistant Professor in UNCW’s Creative Writing Department. At the awards ceremony on Oct. 21, she was announced as the winner under the arts category.
The Honoring Southeastern NC Indigenous Peoples Celebration, held on Thursday, Nov. 3, served to commemorate the lives and culture of Indigenous peoples. The day featured many Indigenous performances in the amphitheater, celebrating both traditional Indigenous practices and modern life. Cheers filled the air of the Clock Tower Longue as three paintings recognizing Southeastern Indigenous cultures were revealed to the public. Artist Jessica Clark focused specifically on contemporary Indigenous peoples when creating her paintings.
Skye Dlugy-Hegwer, Staff Writer
• October 31, 2022
Is it that art is meant to last, or that art is meant to have a lasting impression? For Kathryn Baczeski, a visual artist, the latter is at the heart of her artist practice and is exemplified in her ephemeral installation, “Subtropical Wrecks,” now on view at the CAB Gallery until Nov. 11. On Oct. 27, a couple of weeks after the soft opening of the show, Baczeski hosted a public reception and Artist Talk where she discussed the evolution of her artistic practice. In this show, Baczeski transports the natural world into the gallery space using organic, locally sourced material.
On April 7, the Cultural Arts Building opened its Senior Art Exhibition, featuring the work of 23 graduating seniors majoring in Studio Art. The exhibit is a capstone requirement for seniors in the major. The exhibition is located in the Art Gallery and in the upstairs Mezzanine Gallery of the Cultural Arts Building. It is now open to the public Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until May 14.
UNCW plans to present ‘The Moors,’ a tribute to the Brontë sisters that adds a touch of comedy to an otherwise dreary situation in 1840s England. The show will take place at the Mainstage Theatre in the Cultural Arts Building from March. 31 to April 3 and from April 7 to April 10. The shows will begin at 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sundays.
On the weekend of March 25-27, the Black Arts Alliance (BAA) held the 18th annual North Carolina Black Film Festival (NCBFF). From student shorts to feature length movies, the NCBFF hosts a wide variety of films from artists around the world. Recent years have brought challenges for the festival, to say the least. With Hurricane Florence in 2018 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this year saw the festival’s in-person return with a great turnout.
The ‘Women Who Changed the World” exhibition is currently on display on the second floor of the William Madison Randall Library in honor of Women’s History Month. This curated collection of original artwork by the library’s graphic designer, John Crawford, advocates for the celebration of legendary female prominence. A Supreme Court Justice, a passionate feminist, a former First Lady and activist, a breakthrough chemist and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, among others, decorate the walls of Randall, inspiring students, staff and visitors for the month of March.
Caroline Straubel, Culture Editor
• November 24, 2021
“Into the Wild” is described as “a collection of work that embodies the spirit of the natural world and the secret beauties it has to offer,” in a description provided in Boseman Gallery. It features a range of diverse animal photographs, from a spider and its web, to the detailed patterns in a cow’s nose and the ridges of an alligator's scales.
