Students in Islip High School art classes recently visited Stony Brook University to explore the different ways of experiencing art at the collegiate level. Fine Arts Director Michael Hershkowitz and teachers Jenna Buzzeo and Lisa Sacco planned the trip as a “gallery crawl,” offering guided tours through many art spaces in one day.

The first stop was the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, a newer building with art installations based in mathematical theory. Graduate student Kai Hatcher led the tour, which featured a series of clocks showing the time on each planet, and a piece of music written to represent the Big Bang. Outside, students viewed the famous Umbilic Torus, a single-edged mathematical shape.

Students then walked through the academic mall to the Charles B. Wang Center, featuring an exhibit by South Korean artist Park Dae Sung. Gallery assistant Eric Murphy led the tour, which included interactive Instagrammable spaces created by the art collective GREEM. Students were free to explore the interesting architecture of the building and the many pieces of art displayed throughout.

Finally, students visited the Zuccaire Gallery at the Staller Center for the Arts to see the faculty art show, the first since before the pandemic. Art in all different forms – mixed media, photography and video – was installed throughout the space. Gallery Director Karen Levitov welcomed the students and introduced them to the exhibit. Afterwards, students were given a tour of the art studios and student artwork displayed throughout the building.

“We wanted an opportunity for students to imagine themselves creating and interacting with art in the collegiate environment,” Hershkowitz said. “There are many different ways to make art a part of your life after high school.”

Date Added: 12/19/2023