At Gettysburg College, our faculty’s scholarly research and creative pursuits transcend geographic boundaries. Exploring the intersection between traditional media and digital fabrication tools, Prof. Austin Stiegemeier, assistant professor of painting in the Art and Art History Department, debuted several original works at the Shun Art Gallery in Tokyo, Japan, for his first international exhibition, The Ordinary Spectacle.
Stiegemeier’s exhibition, consisting of approximately 50 works of art on paper, take inspiration from the Rorschach test ink blot technique. The result is a visual metaphor for human behavior and relationships within a modern environment, a commentary on contemporary disaster events our society faces.
“The Ordinary Spectacle title is meant to draw attention to the idea that natural disasters are not natural disasters but climate change effects, and these disasters that we see in the news media are happening more and more frequently,” he said. “I feel like my task as an artist is to make my work speak to, and be relevant to, today’s moment.”
Several themes throughout the exhibition reflect perspectives on technology, our uses of technology, humans’ impact on the environment, and our relationship to the world. Stiegemeier used computer fabrication technologies, such as laser engraving and vinyl plotting, to represent the complex relationships between people and their environments.
At Gettysburg College, Stiegemeier teaches studio art courses, including drawing and painting. Two of his works, “Supernatation Station” and “Double Singularity,” are featured in The Cupola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College, a digital collection of scholarly and creative works by faculty, students, and other members of the Gettysburg community.
Stiegemeier acknowledges Gettysburg’s support for his artistic research and professional development as a faculty member, scholar, and artist over the last five years.
“It is my honor to have the opportunity to share the work which I have dedicated my adult life to creating, and I owe many thanks to Gettysburg College and to the fine people who helped and mentored me along my way to achieve this milestone,” he said. “It is my hope that the quality of my work for this exhibition proves to be a small reflection on the quality of Gettysburg College as a very special institution of higher education.”
By Michael Vyskocil
Photos courtesy of Prof. Austin Stiegemeier
Posted: 10/18/23