“Our Voice” – the first student-run art exhibition

Posters for the Student Art Committee’s Our Voice have appeared around Wilson Hall. These posters mark a milestone in Haverford’s history: the first-ever student-run art exhibition. The exhibition opened on March 12 and will close on April 6. 

The awards picked by the Student Art Committee were based on five categories: Most Playful Artwork, Most Inspirational Artwork, Most Creative Artwork, Best Representation of Haverford’s Core Virtues, and Most Interesting Title. The committee chose to pick these categories for potential winners in order to be interactive with the voters.

According to the Student Art Curators, consisting of Cody Luong, Julian Chapman, and Oliver Peters-Whitaker, “The art committee values the viewer to reflect the Haverford virtues and interpreting the messages behind the artwork itself. It isn’t just an open book;, you must analyze, reflect, and observe the artwork in order to find its true meaning.” 

The opening day of the exhibition was a great success for the Student Art Committee, featuring artworks from dozens of upper-school artists, light refreshments, and iPads where people could vote for their favorite artworks in their respective categories.

“It was a unique experience that I’ve never quite felt before, though in a positive way. I wasn’t sure what to expect when visiting the exhibition, but I sure didn’t leave disappointed. For the first student-led art exhibit in Haverford’s history, I would consider the exhibit a job well done,” Third Former Sam Sholl said. “One thing I’ve never expected was to vote for my favorite artworks, which was something unique. Personally, I was interested in the artwork titled ‘Putter in Action,’ but unfortunately, it didn’t make the cut.”

“I have to admit, there is some pressure in managing social media. For instance, if you make a typo on a post or we mistakenly give credit to the wrong person, it’s a mistake big enough to damage the reputation of the Student Art Committee.”

Third Former Charles Rudolph

The social media page, run by Third Former Charles Rudolph and Sixth Former Max Powers, has been getting a lot of attention. They recently submitted a post featuring the winners from the exhibition.

Rudolph said, “We aim to post at least one student art piece every week to make sure lots of students’ arts are seen. We also post things about different events and everything that is going on in the art committee.” 

Supervising a social media page comes with pressure and responsibility.

“I have to admit, there is some pressure in managing social media. For instance, if you make a typo on a post or we mistakenly give credit to the wrong person, it’s a mistake big enough to damage the reputation of the Student Art Committee. That’s why we value collaboration and always make sure to double-check with the committee to make sure we are giving out the right information,” Rudolph said.

The Student Art Committee has come a long way since its inception. The hard work and effort put in by the committee, the artists who have submitted their artwork, and the supporters who helped with the exhibition were all key components for its success. The next time you walk through Wilson Hall and manage to have a few extra minutes, stop by and support your fellow artists!