Students kick off pop-up art exhibit in Manayunk

Five St. Joe’s students gathered at Manayunk Brewing Company for the first ever pop-up art exhibit hosted by St. Joe’s titled “Up & Coming Arts” on Oct. 3.

The exhibit gave the students a chance to display original photography and to potentially sell their artwork to viewers.

This event was arranged by Jeanne Bracy, gallery curator and art department coordinator and Marta Sanchez-Dallam, adjunct professor in the art department.

Bracy said that Sanchez-Dallam reached out to her at the end of the summer to start selecting students for this pop-up exhibit.

“Marta is friends with Mike Rose, one of the owners of Manayunk Brewing Company,” Bracy said. “For a while he [Rose] has had this idea to invite college students to exhibit and sell work at the restaurant. They hope to bring in new business and we hope for exposure and sales for our students. It’s a win-win.”

When it came to deciding which students would be selected to participate, it was a no-brainer for Bracy.

“I have worked with these five students in the past,” Bracy said. “They are all technically and aesthetically advanced. I had no doubt that their work would be top-notch and look professional for the event.”

The five senior students who participated in the event were Bethany Zaccaria, Alexis Yurgin, Dylan Eddinger, Kristen Lian  and Julia Donahue.

Lian, who has had a passion for photography for many years, said she jumped at the chance to display her art.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to get my name out there, sell some pictures and just have a good time,” Lian said.

The students faced the difficult decision process of picking among their favorites, their best work or the photos that would sell commercially.

“I wanted to pick things that I knew were really sharp, crisp and clear,” Zaccaria said. “Not only ones that I like but also ones that I thought a greater audience would like. I even picked some personal favorites to see if maybe some people resonated with them the same way I did.”

Other students like Eddinger, took the opportunity to showcase a personal project he has in the works titled “Crunchy Canz” and get feedback. 

“This project features three cans of PBR crushed up under studio light revealing all of the visually pleasing colors and bent aluminum,” Eddinger said. “This is the first display of Crunchy Canz and I am excited to see and hear guests’ reactions.”

Bracy said that she was proud of the success that both the students and the premiere exhibit had.

“We sold four pieces which was a great starting point for us,” Bracy said. “It is good experience for students to publicly show their work and be present to see and hear people’s reactions to their work.”

At the end of the night, the individual students were able to walk away with commission and to contribute to a greater cause.

When a piece of artwork was sold, 15 to 20 percent of the commission went to a charity of the art department’s choosing.

Sanchez said what sets this event  apart from other exhibits is that typically a percentage of commission goes to the institution that is providing the space.

However, Manayunk Brewing Company did not receive any percent of the profit.

“Manayunk Brewing Company decided that they were not interested in gaining commission,” Sanchez said. “Instead, they gave the commission to any charity that the school would like. So for this exhibit, a percentage of the commission will go to the Corpus Christi Scholarship Fund.”

The Corpus Christi Fund was started by Dennis McNally S.J., when Rolando Corpus ’91, a student studying art, was unable to continue at St. Joe’s due to financial problems.

“It has helped so many art students over the years and it is nice for current art students to be able to help future artists,” Bracy said.

As for the students who sold a piece of artwork, they were able to walk away knowing that a piece of their original photography was going to be in someone’s home.

“I was pretty surprised to sell some work,” Eddinger said. “I think it was nice to talk to the buyer and see why he was drawn to the photo.”

Donahue said that although she was nervous about the exhibit at first, she is happy that she was able to participate in such a beneficial experience for which she has a great passion.

“I think people can learn a lot from seeing other people’s artwork,” Donahue said. “It doesn’t matter the medium people use, art is everywhere in this world and it is a beautiful thing.”

Zaccaria said that she went into the exhibit just looking to enjoy herself and had no idea where the night would take her.

“I told myself even if someone was looking at my art and just thought it was cool, that would be an honor for me,” Zaccaria said. “It’s a really good feeling knowing that someone has one of my favorite pieces of my artwork in their house.”

This pop-up art exhibit will be a monthly occurrence, featuring new students and a different type of art each month.

“November’s theme will most likely be drawing,” Bracy said. “Marta is hoping to feature ceramics and paintings at future events and to also get other local art universities involved by exhibiting their student work.”

Yurgin said she wished she could have done something like this earlier in her college career.

“I definitely encourage the younger art students to stay in the know about what’s going on in the artist community and to take these opportunities,” Yurgin said. “You never know who’s going to see your photo or painting or sculpture and say that they love it and need it in their home.”

Sanchez said that she has great hope for the future of this art exhibit and she hopes the art department can continue to have these events to invite people to appreciate art for a night.

“There will always be people who are interested in looking at art and seeing a different perspective of what’s going on right now in the life that we lead,” Sanchez said. “Art is beautiful and it will enrich your life. It is something that is meant to be celebrated.”