“Across Common Grounds” officially opened on Oct. 24 in the Bates College Museum of Art in Olin Arts Center. The breathtaking multimedia show features work from twenty different artists around North America, four of which are connected to Maine. Their work centers around land and its prominent role in forming place-based identities. Yet, the way each artist achieves this is very different, building a unique experience for the viewer. Performance art, photographic slide shows, 3-D installations, sculptures, documentary images and videos are examples of the many opportunities people have to engage with the exhibit, making it essential to spend substantial time with each piece.
In an interview with Samantha Sigmon, the museum’s Assistant Curator and Curator of “Across Common Grounds,” and Anthony Shostak, the Education Curator, the two emphasized the power this show has to impact people from all audiences. The museum actively seeks to bring in shows relevant to the Bates’ curriculum, so classes across various academic disciplines can engage with the galleries.
Unlike places like the Portland Museum of Art, “We don’t have to be crowd-pleasers. We can do an esoteric exhibition that appeals to the Bates audience,” Sigmon said. She later expressed her appreciation for the autonomy to be driven by niche ideas rather than admissions fees because the Bates Museum of Art is free of charge.
Since this is the only art museum that serves a particularly large geographic region, access is extremely important. The mid-coast and central Maine regions have Bowdoin and Colby, respectively, while Western Maine has Bates. Taking this into account, Shostak actively works hard to bring in individuals from K-12 public schools, homeschooled students, senior living center residents, scouting groups and even health professionals who use art to enhance their observational prowess. Therefore, depth is even more important and challenges the museum to create nuanced exhibits.
Nonetheless, Sigmon was ready to take on the challenge of creating “Across Common Grounds” because she knew it would speak to the Lewiston community. Hailing from the Arkansas Ozarks herself, Sigmon understands the feeling of isolation and recognizes that others might talk down to artists working in these regions and/or center their practices around traditionally rural topographies.
So, Sigmon proposed bringing this show to Bates, knowing she could make a bigger impact in a smaller space. Sigmon has very clearly used the galleries to elevate these artists’ voices and bring fresh perspectives to campus.
Looking forward to the months ahead, Sigmon wants “Across Common Grounds” to be a place of learning, reflection, and connection. She hopes to invite a musician with ties to Bates and potentially some of the artists, especially those who couldn’t attend the panel discussion on Oct. 24. At the moment, Sigmon hasn’t decided if this will be a piecemeal process or one that takes place towards the show’s closing in March.
Either way, Sigmon and Shostak want to keep the pulse of “Across Common Grounds” beating.
Bates students play a serious role in accomplishing this task. Citizens from Lewiston, Auburn, and all across the state of Maine frequently come to the museum to experience its many offerings. While classes at Bates engage with the museum on a weekly basis, there is a noticeable lack of foot traffic from students who, despite not having any obligations to visit, might visit out of curiosity.
When asked what his visions were for “Across Common Grounds,” Shostak replied, “A stream of Bobcats moving through the galleries, responding to the work, that kind of stuff is fulfilling; we know when the galleries are active versus when they are slow.”
Currently, there are approximately 10,000 items not on display dating back to 1000 BC that students can see at any time simply by scheduling an appointment with the museum. It would be a shame not to take advantage of these tremendous opportunities.
To learn more about “Across Common Ground,” past exhibitions, and upcoming events, you can visit the museum’s website or, even better, stop by during its hours of operation: Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 AM to 7:30 PM and Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover a newfound appreciation for art. At the very least, you can anticipate learning something about land and its connection to our lives.
Disclosure of Conflict: Madeline Cournoyer is a student in Professor Erin Nolan’s Art & Migration course. She attended the opening panel discussion and has visited “Across Common Grounds” with her class.
