Free gallery in Jesse Hall shares renowned artwork, themed exhibits

The Marxhausen Gallery of Art in Jesse Hall.

Photo credit: Allan Huskins III

By Allan Huskins III

This story is featured in the October print edition of the Sower newspaper. 

Visual arts through painting, illustration, mosaic and sculpture are a big part of society and culture, but students may be surprised to hear that Concordia has its own art gallery on campus, named for internationally renowned artist Reinhold Marxhausen.

Located on the main floor of Jesse Hall, the Marxhausen Gallery of Art is open to students and the public, featuring a changing lineup of collections representing varying artists and styles.

Reinhold Marxhausen’s faculty photo in the 1990-91 Tower yearbook.

Marxhausen was the first faculty member hired at Concordia in 1951 and began the art program that continues to flourish on campus. He was passionate about his art, which spanned painting, sculpture, film, mosaics, filmmaking and more.

He lectured on the idea of serendipity, he told CUNE assistant professor Tobin Beck in an interview. “Serendipity means the possibility of accidentally discovering something no one else has discovered,” he told Beck.

Marxhausen’s reach and fame grew statewide, and he created two mosaic murals that were incorporated into the walls of the Nebraska Capitol. Recognized for his creativity and innovation, especially through sculpture, Marxhausen was featured on the TV show “Late Night” with David Letterman, where he showed his Star Dust metal sound sculptures that when turned make sounds similar to that of a harp.

Marxhausen’s work can still often can be seen in the gallery, which is split into two divisions, North and South, allowing for a variety of shows.

Professor James Bockelman, who is the gallery director, said CUNE has an extensive collection of works from Marxhausen and other artists.

“It’s an outstanding collection. Every time I bring people from UNL, the university here, Kearney, or international artists who visit us, they can’t imagine that we have a Rauschenberg, that we have a Frank Stella, that we have a Jean Basquiat,” he said. “They’re just blown away. I mean, who would think? Most people don’t understand the caliber of artists that we have in our collection.”

Junior Micah Knerl and senior Lily Beck work at the gallery and said they do not see many people take in the exhibits during their shifts. Both said that as they complete their tasks, such as turning off the lights at the end of the night, they find themselves getting lost in the artwork on display.

Knerl said that he enters the gallery and spends a little more time looking at something than he did before, as he’s able to develop a relationship with artwork on display and see things in new contexts. “It’s more of an experience, less of just a viewing”, he said.

Students in 2006 view artwork in the Marxhausen Gallery. Photo: 2006-07 Tower yearbook.

When asked why she thought gallery attendance was low, Lily Beck said “A lot of people don’t know it’s there, and people just use the building to cut through… there’s not much advertisement for it, except for art students.”

While there are multiple scheduled events in the gallery, there are several art majors who attend in their free time to study and appreciate the artwork as well.

“The organized style and calm environment of the gallery is what draws me in, it’s a very peaceful place to be,” said Studio Art major Allie Vieselmeyer. “I like the gallery because it’s an available way to see many different styles of art, as well as many different mediums.”

Knerl said it is exciting to see non-art major students come into the gallery, as it means they’re going because they want to be there, taking the time to “experience something that they don’t have to experience, and I think they’re better for it.”

Bockelman said viewing the exhibits does not take a lot of energy but can be impactful.

“A person can enter into the gallery and they don’t have to use any brain power to see something, but if something engages them, they could spend as long as they want in there” he said. “If you’re at all a person that is attracted to something visual, then it’s an important place to be in touch with.”

Currently, the Marxhausen Gallery of Art is featuring the exhibit “Earth as A Sign: Highlights from Concordia’s Permanent Collection.” It showcases artwork from many mediums that come from Concordia’s own collection. It can be viewed until Oct. 12.

The gallery’s next exhibit, titled “Ryan Stander and Shawn Teseo Ballarin: Mixed Media Photography and Woodcut Prints” will begin Oct. 20 and run through Dec. 5. As the name suggests, it will feature colorful and dynamic woodcut prints, as well as mixed media photography.

Starting Jan. 19 and running through Feb. 27, the gallery will feature the exhibition “Was God Dead? Biblical Imagination in German Expressionist Prints.” It will showcase original artworks more than 100 years old, with a focus on World War I German expressionist prints, and the significance of God to the artists.

The gallery is free and open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. It is only open while classes are in session, and is closed for all school breaks.