Visual art can take many forms. It can be as conventional as a painting or as abstract as a sculpture made out of found objects. This holds true in the upcoming staff visual art gallery, where artwork by part-time staff to long-standing full time staff will be showcased.

“It gives great opportunities for the NKU community to see what the visual art faculty can do,” David Knight, visual art curator, said.

Steven Finke, associate professor, who will be featured in the third floor gallery, is showcasing ten sculptures made out of molded metal, wood and other found objects. His exhibit is titled “Dogma,” which is defined as a principle or a set of principles that are unchangeable and undeniably true.

“I hope that my work would cause people to think about morality and how short our life span is. I want people to think about how they live their lives and question the choices they make,” Finke said.

Finke believes this name fits perfectly with his exhibit, which he hopes will get people thinking.

“Usually I don’t title my work because I feel it speaks for itself. When I do, it is of importance to the piece,” Finke said in regard to his sculpture “Carol & Tal.”

Works by Kevin Muente, professor of art, and Marc Leone, associate professor of art, will also be featured in the main gallery.

Knight, who will also be contributing a piece, finds the yearly gallery to be incredibly important. Photo provided by Kevin Muente

“It is able to show what we [the visual art department] do in our spare time,” Knight said. “We aren’t conducting experiments or writing novels. We look forward to this because we get to talk about what we do.”

The staff art exhibition allows the NKU community to have a look at the artistic lives of the people who make up the department. It allows visual art students to see what their professors and mentors are doing when they aren’t teaching and allows other staff and students to see their ability to create and captivate.

“Sometimes random students will come by and ask about a piece, wanting to know more information. Connecting them up with that faculty member sparks good conversation between staff and students,” Knight said.

According to Knight, the staff art gallery aspires to achieve the power to provoke thought and inspire conversation as it has done in the past.

“A lot of times it sparks good conversation between our own students and students from other buildings,” Knight said. “It brings students together and creates a space for conversation where their usually wouldn’t be.”

Everyone is encouraged to stop by the gallery, which is in the fine arts building, and see the works of the staff who make up the visual art department.

On Jan. 29 there will be public reception held between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., which Steven Finke will open with a talk. He will give a brief explanation about his work and respond to questions. The exhibition will begin in the main gallery at 9 a.m. Jan. 16 and will go through until Feb. 6.