Interactive exhibit exploring music, art opens at Ripon College Feb. 1

The exhibit “Music and Art” will be on view Feb. 1-March 8 in Caestecker Gallery, C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts, at Ripon College.

This exhibit will focus on connections between music and the visual arts, curated by Ripon College students and Sarah Kraaz, professor of music, the William Harley Barber Distinguished Professor, and College organist. An opening reception will begin with a talk at 7 p.m. Feb. 1.

“Music and Art” explores the connection between auditory and visual arts in numerous ways, including music depicted in art, musical instruments as works of art, musical scores as visual art, music inspired by art, and music that includes visual elements.

It is a hands-on experience. Visitors will be able to make their own music by playing a harp-like instrument called a psaltery, a xylophone-like instrument and a piano. They may inspect vinyl record albums containing art by Andy Warhol. Those will clean hands will be able to pick up pages of handwritten sheet music that are hundreds of years old, such that they can see both sides. Visitors may even use seashells filled with water to make gurgling sounds, which was an experimental musical technique invented by the composer John Cage.

Selections of music from the past several hundred years will be played, including traditional Gregorian chant, classical music, Jazz and an experimental symphony.

The show was curated by Ripon College students Heidi DeCaluwe ’20 of Jackson, Wisconsin; Lauren Good ’19 of Wautoma, Wisconsin; Alana Green ’18 of Chicago, Illinois; Savannah Skamra ’18 of Ripon, Wisconsin; Laryssa Vaclavik ’20 of Portage, Wisconsin; Jacob Zuehlke ’22 of Whitewater, Wisconsin; and Kraaz in consultation with Travis Nygard, associate professor of art and director of Caestecker Gallery, as part of the class “Music and Art.”

Gallery hours are 1-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Tuesday–Friday and 2-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The gallery also is open for one hour before evening performances. Admission to the Caestecker Gallery is free and open to the public.

(Photo: Andy Warhal album art for John Lennon’s Menlove Ave., 1986)