Janus: There's more to what you see

– Janus –

There's More to What You See

Merging Concepts VI Series Exhibition
Museum Studies Certificate Class of 2019-2020
Ohio University

our exhibition

Perception is the organization, identification, and interpretation of information used to understand our surroundings. It is fashioned through paintings, photographs, carvings, relics, or other human creations.

This interdisciplinary exhibition combines representations that challenge our perception of what is seen and therefore understood. While vision, images, words, and meaning are generally tightly integrated, our understanding of what we see does not always align with reality. Visual representations contain layers of deeper meaning. What is revealed on the surface, often masks unknown contexts.

We invite you to not only look but to experience the work surrounding you. Understand its intended perception and examine each piece beyond its surface and initial impressions. In doing so, you may find that there is more to what you see.

Consider...
How do the objects relate to each other?

janus

The Roman god Janus is instantly recognizable by his two faces. As the god of transition, duality, beginning and end, he was invoked during the new year and on coins and doorways. Later, his two-faced nature would lead him to be associated with duplicity and hidden things as well.

Just as Janus has two faces, so the objects in this exhibition have two sides. Behind each façade lies a deeper significance or insight. We invite you now to see the flip side of the coin, so to speak, and uncover the hidden stories of each object.

Asylum Collection

Athens Collection

World Collection

Kennedy Museum of Art, &
Ohio Museum Complex
Merging Concepts VI

This is the sixth in the series of annual Museum Studies Certificate exhibitions known as Merging Concepts. The program is trans-disciplinary as students represent a wide range of disciplines across the Ohio University Athens campus. Unlike in previous years, this is a virtual website-based exhibition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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‍Janus: There's More to What You See is the exhibition’s title and all content was developed, curated and designed by students in the 2019-20 program. Inspired by research on two primary objects, the class generated a big idea sentence — “Initial perception can mask other contexts.” Individual students were responsible for selecting, researching and interpreting a secondary object supported by their big idea. In addition, students created educational activities and supplemental materials that complement the big idea.

A variety of objects from the collections of the Southeast Ohio History Center, and Ohio University units including Ohio University Libraries, Biomedical Sciences Department, Department of Sociology and Anthropology and Kennedy Museum of Art are featured.

The Museum Studies Certificate is an academic program offered by the School of Art + Design and courses are taught by Kennedy Museum of Art staff. This program is possible thanks to our partners below who contribute their professional expertise and valuable collections.
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Acknowledgements

‍Biomedical Sciences Department at Ohio University
‍Patrick O’Connor, Ph.D. Professor of Anatomy and Neuroscience
Nancy Stevens, Ph.D. Professor of Functional Morphology and Vertebrate Paleontology
Lawrence M. Witmer, Ph.D.Professor of Anatomy

‍Southeast Ohio History Center
‍Jessica Cyders, Director
Brad Davis, Collections Manager

Kennedy Museum of Art
‍Jeffrey Carr, Collections and Exhibition Manager
Lori Spencer, Administration Specialist
Basil Masri Zada, Graduate Associate of Multimedia and Technologies

Mary C. Doxsee Historic Clothing and Textile Collection at Ohio University
‍Trina Gannon, Curator, Assistant Professor of Retail, Merchandising & Fashion Product Development

Website Design Tech-Team
Nisiqi, M.F.A. School of Art + Design
Hope Moore, M.F.A. School of Media Arts & Studies
Basil Masri Zada, Ph.D. School of Interdisciplinary Arts

Museum Studies Certificate Program
Class of 2019-2020

Undergraduate
Barnett, Mason | Anthropology, B.A.
Botterman, Katie | Studio Art, B.F.A.
Brown, Alisha | History, B.A.
Brown, Madeline | Anthropology and Linguistics, B.A.
Campbell, Katy | History, B.A.
Carlson, Jacob | Anthropology, B.A.
Gribble, Grace | Studio Art, B.A.
Hale, Maddie | Anthropology, B.A.
Jones, Mallory | Communication Studies, B.A.
Kennedy, Jacob | History/ Pre-Law B.A.
McCoy, Holly Sue | Studio Art, B.A.
Myerholtz, Leah | Anthropology, B.A.
Simms, Sunny | Art History, B.A
Stevenson, Stuart | Anthropology, B.A.
Varney, William | Art History, B.A.

Graduate
Farrell, Evann | Art History M.A.
Lokant, Sydney | Theatre Production Design & Technology, M.F.A.
Nisiqi | Graphic Design, M.F.A.
Moore, Hope | Communication Media Arts, M.F.A.

Teaching Assistants
Sarah Baker
Lauren Gaines

Instructor
Edward E. Pauley
Director, Kennedy Museum of Art