Ohio University-Zanesville Art Professor Presents Final Farewells and Tributes

Ohio University Art Professor Gerald Westgerdes will be the featured artist during the First Friday Art Walk sponsored by the Zanesville Artist Colony. The show’s opening will take place on Friday, April 7, at the Armory located at 814 Elberon in downtown Zanesville.

The wide-angle view of life as a very long journey in which we are subject to profound physical, social and psychological changes that form and shape our identity at various crossroads, is not an uncommon perspective of our humanity.  It is with this larger view of death in mind that one needs to approach a few of the works in this exhibit.

“In a sense, the opportunity to show here at the Armory is a kind of “resurrection” for a number of the pieces in the exhibit, which were originally destined to enjoy just a short life as installations at the Zanesville Art Center.,” says Westgerdes. “I appreciate the opportunity to extend the time available for more art patrons to view the pieces and consider the multiple implications of the theme of death, partings, and related concepts.”

The artist considers the images to be “open-ended” in the sense of one’s freedom to assign one’s own personal reaction and value to the image.  “Layers” of possible meanings are available for any single piece.  Even so, he has provided text to accompany pieces in which he documents some of the ideas he had to originate and initiate the design and creation

          The show begins April 7 with an opening reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and will continue through April. The Armory is open Tuesday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  For more information on the exhibit contact the artist at 740.588.1493 or via email at westgerd@ohio.edu.