Ļć½¶Ö±²„architecture seniorās photo accepted into international exhibition
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.āA Mississippi State architecture major with a passion for photography will see her work recognized in an international exhibition in Vermont next month.
āGuided by the Moon,ā a digital collage by Heather L. Gillich of Gulfport, will appear in the āFictional Narrativeā exhibition Dec. 6-Jan. 5 at PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont. The international exhibition was juried by Emma Powell, an assistant professor of art at Colorado College who is known for creating art that visualizes questioning scenarios transcending the moment.
When reviewing submissions for āFictional Narrative,ā Powell was drawn to images that made her curious about their greater context or storyline.
āI also looked for the mysterious images that conveyed intimate details while also relating to more universal themes,ā she said.
Gillich is enrolled this semester in the advanced photography course taught by Ļć½¶Ö±²„Professor Marita Gootee. Gillich said the setting of āGuided by the Moonā is Discovery Park in Seattle, Washington, where she was ālucky enough to catch a figure walking along the shoreline.ā
āWhen I took the photo back to my computer, I instantly saw the opportunity to exaggerate the curve of the shoreline. I decided to do so by multiplying and placing the figure in a descending order along its path,ā Gillich said. āNext, I thought about what the figure was walking toward or following. That is when I came up with the idea to create a nighttime sky scene with emphasis on the moon. I felt like the final image told a clear story about the figure at this point.ā
By depicting the moonlit beach and a duplicated traveler walking on the shoreline, Gillich hopes to inspire the viewer to question the search for his or her own dreams.
Also serving as area coordinator of the art departmentās photography concentration, Gootee said the goal of her advanced photography class is to have students create a series of creative images based on one concept, a challenge that encourages them to āpush beyond the clichĆ©.ā
āI believe in the students in the College of Architecture, Art and Design because this college houses the most creative talent in the state. Heather Gillich is one such example,ā Gootee said. āI am proud of Heather for taking the risk to enter a professional competition. I am not surprised that her work was accepted. She is a very talented artist.ā
To view more of Gillichās work, visit .
Part of MSUās College of Architecture, Art and Design, the School of Architecture offers the only curriculum in the state of Mississippi leading to a professional degree in architecture. Learn more at , and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CAADatMSU.
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