Stepping over the grass and onto the concrete in the Art Gallery leads to “Urban Sight,” where Afshin Shidanshidy and eight others are featured.
Shidanshidy is a full-time student as an architecture major hoping to transfer to the University of Southern California. He took up the camera when a professor of his told him there was a joint project with the Getty Center focusing on the joining of the city vibe and architecture.
“They told us every one of us could have one photo in the Getty,” Shidanshidy said. “We were so thrilled.”
Monika del Bosque, Art Gallery director, says the exhibit is the result of a joint production with the Getty Center Education Department and three other colleges. The show at Pierce is to highlight the efforts of students here before the photos move to Architecture and Design Museum.
“I love these interdisciplinary projects where we work together,” Bosque said. “I love working on these kind of projects.”
The students featured have been preparing for the exhibit for months, due to their involvement with the collaboration. Shidanshidy took inspiration from the confusion of the city, and used that as inspiration for each photo. Shidanshidy was featured in other student shows at Pierce as well.
The gallery was complimented with live grass in the entrance, as well as a wire fence in the center held up by gravel, representing the joining of concrete and grass that the project is using as its catch phrase.
”I enjoyed the way the exhibition class came up with the idea of the urban side and how they designed the gallery,” Shidanshidy said.
Fernando Garrido, a photography student, was one of the many attendees during the opening night of the exhibit. He was impressed with the shots, saying that it matched the feel of the Valley well.
“It’s interesting to see other students’ work,” Garrido said.
The show is free and open to the public, allowing the community to come in and see the potential of our students and where they are going. The photographers, architects and design students alike are able to express themselves through the installation.
The exhibit will continue until Dec. 11, running throughout the week for varying times up in the Art Gallery, Room 3301.
[Gallery Hours]
Monday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tuesday: 1 – 4 p.m.
Wednesday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Thursday: 1 – 9 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. – noon
