The Art Museum of West Virginia University is launching the spring season with a powerful trio of exhibits that explore a range of thought-provoking themes—from the complexities and struggles of womanhood and gender to the manipulation between historical narratives and modern technology. These exhibits are now open through May 11, with a promise to challenge, inspire and engage audiences of all kinds.
As Aaron Levi Garvey, director of the Art Museum of WVU, explains, “We are thrilled to present an anniversary exhibition featuring works from the Art Museum collection that celebrate our history of supporting forward-thinking artists, and a duo show between artists that have had long-standing creative conversations.” This statement rings true across the diverse works displayed in these exhibitions.
Screams and Whispers: Karin Broker and Patricia Bellan-Gillen
One of the most striking displays is “Screams and Whispers,” a collaborative exhibition by artists Karin Broker and Patricia Bellan-Gillen. The exhibit features Broker’s sculptures, which are composed primarily of thrifted items and aim to tell the complex, and often painful, stories of the female experience. Broker’s work is deeply feminist, exploring gender expectations and the resilience of women in a world that too often overlooks them.
“My pieces represent the strength and hardships women face every day,” says Broker.
“All women are tattooed inside, but all women are still beautiful.”
“History is all men, I want women to have a voice.”
“Women are looked at as bunny makers.”
The artist emphasizes that women often hide their struggles, but through her sculptures, she aims to give a voice to those hidden battles.
Her piece “Always Sorry Girl” speaks directly to this idea, addressing how women are conditioned to apologize constantly, often for things they have no control over.
“Women are always saying sorry, and why? What are you even sorry for?” she asks.
For Broker, art is not just about visual expression—it’s a tool for activism.
“I am screaming through my work. I am truly screaming. My hope is that my screams give strength to those within hearing range,” she shares.
In contrast to Broker’s intense energy, Patricia Bellan-Gillen’s drawings offer a quieter, more reflective exploration of history and human experience. Bellan-Gillen’s work blends fact and fiction, often using childhood stories and fairytales to highlight deeper societal truths. She takes well-known characters like those from “Alice in Wonderland,” “Pinocchio” and “Humpty Dumpty” to explore themes of nostalgia, history and the shifting nature of meaning over time.
“The jackalope in childhood stories is a symbol of something we think exists but does not,” Bellan-Gillan says. “It’s a way of confronting what’s real and what we’ve been taught to believe.”
Her work often challenges the narrative of “better times” and uses historical references to show how easy it is for people to forget or misinterpret the realities of the past.
“To say it was better is like using nostalgia as a weapon,” she says, referencing the way some generations romanticize the past.
Bellan-Gillen’s engagement with these childhood stories is anything but simplistic. She uses them to confront the contradictions in modern life.
“I like my work to have a little edge,” she adds. “It’s about beauty, awkwardness and grace with humor. I want people to think about the real meaning behind what they’re seeing.”
Together, Broker and Bellan-Gillen’s works create a dialogue that explores both the personal and societal aspects of womanhood, as well as the power of storytelling to shape our understanding of the world.
Thirty: Celebrating 30 Years of the Deem Distinguished Lecture Series
In addition to “Screams and Whispers,” the museum is showcasing “Thirty: Celebrating 30 Years of the Deem Distinguished Lecture Series,” an exhibition that honors the legacy of the lecture series. This series has brought internationally renowned artists to WVU for three decades, and the exhibit highlights their work, celebrating the ongoing impact of their lectures on students and the broader arts community.
This exhibition includes the work of Carmon Colangelo, a print and painting artist who explores the interplay between art, machine and human intelligence. Colangelo’s piece “Disruption” is heavily influenced by the early language of artificial intelligence, blending traditional techniques with modern technology. His work raises questions about how AI impacts social manipulation and human agency, making it a timely and crucial addition to the exhibition.
Colangelo, who served as a professor of printmaking at WVU from 1984 to 1997, says his fascination with AI directly informs his work.
“My art speaks to the relationship between the human and the machine.”
His exploration of artificial intelligence, combined with his deep knowledge of printmaking, gives his work a unique resonance in the context of contemporary art.
Radiant Pages: The Art of the Book
Rounding out the museum’s spring offerings is “Radiant Pages: The Art of the Book,” a thoughtful exhibition co-curated by Adam Komisaruk, Robert Bridges and Heather Harris. Drawing from the Art Museum’s extensive collection, this exhibit invites visitors to reconsider the traditional concept of a book, focusing on how books can radiate beyond their pages to influence and impact the world around them. It’s an exploration of the intersection between form, content and the wider cultural significance of books as objects and carriers of meaning.
An invitation to explore
These exhibitions showcase the broad range of work that the Art Museum of WVU supports, emphasizing both historical and contemporary approaches to art-making.
As Robert Bridges, curator of the Art Museum of WVU, explains, “The three exhibitions are a great mix of historical and contemporary art reflecting cross-disciplinary approaches to presentation.”
