An inaugural gallery opening

Friday is the official opening of a new gallery space for the Radford University Art Museum. Located on the ground floor of the Bondurant Center of the Arts Downtown, the first art exhibit features the work of MFA graduate students Karie Edwards, Aaron Forrester and Nathan Popp. 

“The recently renovated exhibition space, which is now at street level on Main Street, sports a new floor while preserving an original exposed brick wall,” said Steve Arbury, director of the RU Art Museum. “An innovative hanging system allows easy installation of framed works of art.”

Between the brick wall and surrounding white walls, the space has a contemporary feel, which is the perfect backdrop for the work of the three up-and-coming artists.

“We are proud to have the Fall Master of Fine Arts Show as the inaugural exhibition in the RU Art Museum's new gallery in downtown Radford,” Arbury said.

Edwards’ work explores a partnership between art and mammography as a means of social communication about breast cancer.

“It addresses the benefits of early detection and the consequences of procrastination. The work is comprised of a series of light boxes plugged into a photographic centerpiece,” Edwards said.

Forrester describes his work as, “Multi-media pieces expressing emotions that hide beneath the surface. I used pen ink, ink washes, photo transfers and pencil to create these pieces.”

Popp’s paintings do not involve photography, but invoke the natural world in his watercolor imagery.

“Inspired by nature, I create landscapes where trees are the subject. Abandoning traditional methods, I use self-taught techniques to create a new style of landscape. These landscapes reflect personal emotions with color and symbolic imagery pertaining to the cycle of life,” he said.

The opening reception is Friday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. in the Bondurant Center for the Arts Downtown at 1129 E. Main Street in Radford. It follows the BFA Graduation Show 5 p.m. opening reception in the RU Art Museum at the Covington Center.

The show runs until Dec. 10. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. The gallery is closed on Sundays.

For more information, call 540-831-5754.