Spring20_Mag_Combined_WEB_single_pages

26 // PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE “Many people view museums as some place for someone else, but I firmly believe art is for everyone. I’m trying to take down those perceived walls. A university campus is just the place to do it,” Schnitzer said. “This new museum will reach out to every student on campus, every young person in the surrounding counties, every adult within the Port- land metropolitan area—providing activities that will enrich their hearts, minds and souls.” Making art visible Its location in Fariborz Maseeh Hall gives the museum an opportunity to integrate art into the everyday life of the community. The building is home to several academic departments—from Mathematics + Statistics to the School of Art + Design—as well as the place where students come for workaday tasks like getting ID cards, checking on financial aid and using language labs. People passing by on SW Broadway or sipping coffee in the cafe just inside can see the two floors of artwork through floor-to-ceiling glass walls. The central location makes it possible for students to “dip in for a few minutes here and there to maybe spend ten minutes with one work of art,” said interim director Linda Tesner, former gallery director at Lewis & Clark College, who will lead the museum for its first year, while a permanent director is found. “When viewers repeat visits like that, they really have the opportunity to develop a relationship with a work of art, or an artist.” Sparking new learning Faculty began bringing their classes to see the art and assigning projects related to it as soon as the first exhibit premiered. Sarah Dougher, University Studies adjunct faculty, took her freshman inquiry class of mostly first- generation college students during fall term. “For some of my students, it was the first time they had visited a museum ever,” she said. “I wanted to share the new space and art with the students in order to show them how accessible art could be, and how important it is to our learning community at PSU.” Another University Studies faculty member, Sarah Newlands, has brought her students to the Portland Art Museum for years. Having more opportunities for students to interact with art is so important to her that she turned her own office into a teaching gallery, showcasing a different artist every few months. She’s encouraged her students to volunteer for a couple of hours in the new museum, sharing the skills of observation they’ve learned with visitors. “The museum is an extended classroom, just like the Park Blocks,” she said. “We’re looking at the world through various lenses.” Showcasing student artists The museum is not only committed to exposing students to art, but also to celebrating them as artists. Three shows of student work are planned for each school year. This is a big change from previous JORDAN SCHNITZER MUSEUM OF ART AT PSU Regular hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday 1855 SW Broadway, Portland, OR pdx.edu/museum-of-art Admission is always free Due to coronavirus health and safety measures, the museum is temporarily closed. Visit the website for a virtual tour of exhibits and artist talks. SO-MIN COTIK