Riana Seidenberg: FROST
What was the process like in creating FROST? Were some parts more challenging to think through and convey compared to others?
In the grand scheme of things, it was a whirlwind. I found out right before winter break that the spot had opened and that I received it. Professor Hembrey and I went through my AP Art portfolio that I created last year and picked out an artwork, which I then remade multiple times until I was satisfied to use for my final exhibit piece. I spent the last week of winter break in the museum and ate most of my meals there. Since the preparatory work was quite intense, I only had three and a half days to create my artwork. My biggest struggle conceptually was to transform an old artwork, which I created as a series of 15, into a stand-alone piece that had a message that I felt knowledgeable and passionate about.
With the society of both the past and of today, FROST is a very relevant piece. What messages do you hope to express?
As a young woman in an unfamiliar city, my safety is always in the back of my mind. My independence is stunted because I rely on other people to escort me around campus at night and don’t generally shop alone. My key chain holds pepper spray and I have a habit of locking my door immediately when I get into my car. This is a quite universal experience for women, and I wanted to explore the sense of danger that women feel when they are alone in public. FROST depicts a woman that does not smile and welcome the viewer into her space. She knows you are there, looking at her, and she is very wary of it. It contrasts the historical depiction of women being warm and welcoming, rather showing the reality that women face in the real world.
After just one semester in college, how does it feel to already be doing a solo exhibition? What have you learned through the process?
It was a very surreal experience! I knew that as a senior I would have an opportunity to have my own solo exhibition, but to be able to have one this early was extremely unexpected. I learned that creating the exhibit is just one portion of the process. The brainstorming, application, communication with museum staff, the writing of an artist statement and a title, the cleanup, the promotion of the exhibit, the lighting, artist talks, it all takes time and organization.
What was the most challenging part about installing in a large space? How did you manage to work through it?
I found that drawing directly on the wall was very different from drawing on paper. I couldn’t blend as easily on the wall which was beneficial in avoiding smudging, but it also made the soft, realistic shading that I loved in my reference artwork impossible to achieve. This was difficult because I am a perfectionist when it comes to my art. I just had to accept that I could not exactly duplicate my original and learned to treat the exhibit as its own unique creation. I also had to learn new techniques and constantly experiment to make the process faster. I still find it hard to believe that I was able to draw such a large artwork in about three and a half days.
What advice do you have to other students who are interested in exhibiting at the Meadows?
Have a solid plan of what you are going to do before you install so that the process of installing is less stressful. You are going to be asked time and time again about the meaning of your artwork so don’t forget to create with a purpose. Accept any help and feedback that is offered and let go of the need to have complete control. My solo exhibit may have my name on it, but it was a collaborative process. Get involved in the museum community, intern or do a work study, go to artist talks, all to become familiar with the museum so that if you get the opportunity to exhibit, you are not too intimidated.
FROST is on display at the Meadows Museum from January 18 – February 4, 2022.