abouTculture

A GALLERY DAY
By NIKA HANCOCK

“Not only is art important in the artist’s world, but also in the business world. It’s a topic of conversation; it’s what you talk about when you’re done talking business.”
- Cory Arcak, Interim Director

The MSC Forsyth Center Galleries, located on the campus of Texas A & M, offer a unique opportunity for residents to learn about art and history. The majority of works in the gallery come from a large collection of art glass and late 19th and early 20th century American paintings furnished by Bill and Irma Runyon. Bill Runyon was a 1937 electrical engineering graduate from Texas A & M. Over his lifetime, he and his wife amassed a considerable art collection, including 66

paintings and over 1200 pieces of art glass that were given to the University in 1986 to establish a permanent home. Interim Director Cory Arcak feels that when the gallery is able to educate patrons not only about “how [a piece] was made, what was happening at the time and who that artist was, but also tell them who Mr. Runyon was—that’s when it really blooms for them.” Arcak said it helps people to realize “not only is art important in the artist’s world, but also in the business world. It’s a topic of conversation; it’s what you talk about when you’re done talking business.” According to Arcak, Runyan felt that he did not get an education in art during his time at A&M, so the galleries helped fulfill his goal to give to the university what he felt was missing in his own education.



A common misconception about the term “permanent collection” is that the displays do not change. When people hear the word permanent, “that doesn’t mean that it’s always the same,” says Estela Feagin, Communications Coordinator for the galleries. “When you come in, you’re going to see something different.” With this type of large collection, items are changed each semester in different groupings based on what aspect of art or history is chosen for public education.

The next special exhibit from the permanent collection is “The Ash Can School: A Revolution in Painting,” which can be seen January 14 - May 12, 2008. This was a significant historical movement in art and American history centered on eight key artists whose members were Robert Henri, Arthur B. Davies, Maurice Prendergast, Ernest Lawson, William Glackens, Everett Shinn, John French Sloan, and George Luks. Arcak says this exhibit is a must-see, explaining that this era of artists “broke away from the tradition of impressionism to paint reality and paint what the cities really looked like, warts and all.” Critics consider these artists to be on the fringe of modern art due to their change in focus to reveal the harsh realities of urban life at that time. The Ash Can Painters have even been featured in a series of American commemorative stamps. Arcak explains that while the collection is not large, it shows excellent examples of each of the eight artist’s work that would be recognized if patrons were to go to other well-known art museums.