New Exhibition at the Hutchins Gallery by Artist ShinYoung An

          This past Thursday, September 14, the Hutchins Gallery hosted a reception for artist ShinYoung An, whose paintings have been showcased at the Hutchins Gallery since the start of the school year. In addition to An’s work, the Gallery also presents the work of students, faculty, alumni, and other local artists regularly. Its permanent collection includes pieces by Albrecht Durer, Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dali, as well as those by contemporary artists like designer and sculptor Maya Lin, textile artist Sheila Hicks, and photographer Harold Edgerton. 

          “The exhibitions and programs of the Hutchins Galleries are intended to inspire and challenge the school community while offering a resource for teaching in all disciplines,” Gallery Curator Melina Guarino explained. The Visual Arts, Humanities, History, and Language Departments all integrate works from the Gallery into their classes as a way for students to practice their observational and critical thinking skills. “Students are [also] welcome to use the space during open hours as inspiration,” Guarino added. 

          Every six weeks, the Hutchins Gallery presents a new collection of artwork of a different artist. For the first exhibition of the school year, Guarino reached out to local oil painter ShinYoung An. She had learned of An’s works last year during a visit to the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton. Guarino described feeling “intrigued” by An’s works and the messages behind them: “I thought it would be interesting and relevant to bring [An’s works] to the Lawrenceville community,” she said.

          Guarino noticed the “hyper-realistic” nature of An’s oil paintings, saying, “the hands, feet and objects she overpaints on the newspaper clipping backgrounds nearly jump off the canvas.” Through her paintings, An aims to bring attention to current issues while making a call to action for societal change. According to An’s information page on the Saatchi Art website, her newspaper backdrops depict “the disturbing realities [she] encounters.” She paints figures that seem to be performing “mundane tasks” from afar, but “reveal themselves more upon closer inspection, urging viewers to delve deeper [into the art] and become [more] aware.”

          “I transform frustration into impact,” An explained on her website. In addition to the societal critiques reflected in her artwork, she also incorporates real-life “inspirational stories” into her paintings. In doing so, her goal is to “preserve these stories” and “enlighten future generations.”

          Preparations for the exhibition required “several months of planning in advance, and about seven to 11 days to install onsite,” according to Guarino. The process included scheduling dates for delivery, installation, gallery openings, and gallery events. An exhibition layout was also thoughtfully devised before the artworks were displayed throughout the gallery. Finally, Guarino and her team announced the new exhibition to the rest of the Lawrenceville community. Next time you pass by the Hutchins Gallery, stop by and take a look at some of An’s pieces!