Photos by Andrea Bushee


The Walsh Art Gallery has recently opened their new seasonal art exhibit, which is called “Elements of Peace” by Marlene Siff. Although new exhibits come in and out of the gallery space every semester, this collection is anything but routine.

Siff’s work has been showcased throughout the United States and abroad, from the U.S. Capitol building in Washington DC to Galerie Museè in Nagoya, Japan.

She relates her art to the audience through depicting imagery of personal events and psychological issues, according to Siff’s official website.

“We are all confronted on a daily basis with the fragmentation of our non-linear lives, trying, as a puzzle, to make the pieces fit together to make sense of it all,” wrote Stiff in the statement of her official website.

The Elements of Peace collection is no exception. According to Siff, this exhibit pays respect to people all kinds of people who have been affected by the war through creating a space for “rest, retreat, connection, reflection and identification.”

“The thing about Marlene’s exhibit is that it’s different from the others,” said Christian Kaplan, Quick Center Events Manager. “From my time being here, I’ve seen six or seven different types of exhibits in the gallery, all very unique and very good. But Marlene’s three-dimensional works stand out to me and tell their own story.”

Kaplan specifically mentions one piece of Siff’s art standing out in his mind, which is the Mixed Media piece titled “Fallen Heroes/ Afghanistan” made in 2010. It is a depiction of the American flag, with photos in between the lines of all the soldiers who have died in the war in Afghanistan.

“[The art pieces] are expressed through geometric shapes, colors, light, space, texture, edges and movement each interplaying with one another engaging the viewer to participate,” said Siff.

Siff uses the color white for many of her pieces of art, especially sculptures, in order to create a feeling of calmness and serenity, unadorned and full of “infinite possibilities.”

Siff was born and raised in the Bronx and graduated from the eponymous High School of Music and Art in New York, according to Siff’s official website. She received her B.A. in art at Hunter College, along with being elected to the International Honorary Art Fraternity.

“Marlene’s work is magnificent, and it’s like that space [the Walsh Art Gallery] was made to house her pieces of work,” said Kaplan. “The black and whites are very interesting, but the pieces with colors stand out. They make you want to go and see them and think about them.”

About The Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.