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Northwestern students are able to explore the visual arts for free without even having to leave campus.
The Block Museum of Art, affectionately known as “The Block,” is Northwestern’s own art museum. Located just South of Norris University Center and across the way from Pick-Staiger Auditorium, it is accessible to students and the public most days of the week. It is open for classes, tours, and just browsing interesting artwork.
According to their website, the museum’s mission is to act as an engine that drives questioning, experimentation, and collaboration across fields of study. The works on display and the resources provided by the museum hope to create spaces for shared encounters that help people to better understand themselves and the world around them.
As engagement coordinator at The Block, Isabella Ko has a unique insight into what goes on behind the scenes to make spaces for students to engage with art. She explained the intentionality behind the museum.
ISABELLA KO: We are an art museum on a university campus so that means that we really see ourselves as an art museum for our campus and for campus communities.
One student, Ella Hunter-Campbell is an exchange student from University College London. She visited the museum for one of her classes this quarter and enjoyed being able to interact with art without having to go far.
ELLA HUNTER-CAMPBELL: I think it’s incredible. I’m an exchange student and my university has a similar thing where we have art but it’s not as modern. It’s really nice to have touring exhibitions and all the staff were really lovely and knew a lot about what they were talking about. I came away amazed.
While The Block provides students with opportunities to visit in their classes, it is geared towards making a sustained impact on its diverse audiences.
Ko described how one way in which the museum hopes to engage with the community is through programs like the Block Cinema which shows films about topics that range in genre from experimental to classic.
The Block acts as a unique resource to students of all academic backgrounds from RTVF to art history, from STEM to economics.
Another program called The Block Student Associates enables students to spearhead tours and decisions about what pieces of art work find a permanent place in the collection.
KO: That relates to the communal aspect because it takes a lot of work to get consensus amongst many individuals, even two people it’s hard to get consensus on things. So the trust and honesty and vulnerability and clear and direct but kind communication that is necessary in order to come to those kinds of decisions. That takes time.
By engaging students in the development of the museum and actively working on strengthening ties with the university, the Block creates a bright future for itself.
KO: Only more can grow out of that.
The art galleries are also an important part of the museum. Upstairs, there are exhibits which encourage audiences to pause and think more deeply about the art they are taking in.
One Weinberg first-year and Block Museum employee, Alex Crowell, reflected on how the art makes him feel.
ALEX CROWELL: It’s a place where students can interact with art in a lot of different ways. Like me, I have gone there as a visiter and as an employee so I get to experience the art there in those different ways.
He went on to talk about an exhibition by Katie West called The Clearing, that incorporates 3D aspects to the art as well as an audio portion as a part of the museum’s Actions for the Earth exhibition.
CROWELL: It’s just super relaxing to me and it’s very grounding, very earthy.
By providing an environment where people can relax and take a moment away from the hustle and bustle of academic life, The Block is a welcoming place for students and the community alike.
CROWELL: It’s just a place you can go to relax there’s study spaces there. I don’t think a lot of people know about those study spaces but they are super peaceful and relaxing. It’s really nice.
HUNTER-CAMPBELL: For me it’s different from using my brain. I’m a science major but I love art and I love painting and I love the creative side of that. I think it gives people a way of expressing their feelings and emotions in ways that aren’t words.
Hunter-Campbell goes on to explain why she thinks art is important to everyone.
HUNTER-CAMPBELL: People relate a lot more to art and it’s more accessible.
From noon until 8pm from Wednesday to Sunday the Block Museum is open to students and the public. The exhibition “The Block Collects” will be open until March 3rd, “Looking 101” will be open until April 21st, and “Actions for the Earth: Art, Care, and Ecology will be available until July 7th.
KO: We are free and open for all, we don’t distinguish or anything.
For WNUR news, I’m Rachel Spears
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