Browse the Collection by Theme
Are you hoping to explore a specific topic, theme, or kind of art in the GVSU Art Collection? Do your students need to use visuals related to a specific theme for their studies? Browse by Theme provides new pathways to explore the second-largest public art collection in Michigan!
This page is new and we will continue to add themes to explore over time.
Want to suggest a theme for us to include? Let us know what you think we need to include here!
Landscapes
Landscape art is generally defined as art that depicts a natural scene. For many artists, landscapes are among the first subjects of study. Landscapes can be used as a historical reference for how the world around us changes, both due to natural occurrences and human-driven interventions. Every culture views landscapes differently – to idealize, to propagandize, to historicize, to admire – and each work must be treated individually to understand the context that lies behind its creation. Explore more landscapes within the GVSU Art Collection.
Armand Merizon, North Country, acrylic on canvas board, 2008, 2021.1.13.
Mathias Alten, Workers in a Field, oil on canvas, 1916, 2007.603.1.
Contemporary Black Michigan Artists
Black artists explore art from varying perspectives, ranging from landscapes, portraiture, artwork that reflects the Black American experience, and artwork that reflects only their thoughts and ideas. Explore some of the contemporary Black Michigan artists who are enriching the art scene of our state.
Jaylei Art, Hirundo Soul, acrylic on canvas, 2023.41.1.
Sheefy McFly, 7 Day Theory, mixed media on canvas, 2022, 2023.19.7.
LatinX Artists
Latinx culture is so extensive and has become such an integral part of American culture that what it means to “be Latinx” in the United States is indistinct and ever-changing. Like all artists, Latinx artists create artwork that reflects their personal beliefs, experiences, concerns, cultures, ideals, and dreams.
Alynn Guerra, Sacred Corn, linoleum print, circa 2008, 2009.40.1.
Hugo Claudin, Untitled, acrylic on canvas, 2007, 2015.67.1.
Earth Science
Coming soon!
Jim Nieboer, Michigan Landscape, pinhole photograph, 1998, 1998.361.1.
Georgia Roswell, Hot Yellowstone #3, recycled textiles, acrylic paint, matte medium on wood, 2013, 2014.118.1.
The Holocaust
Coming soon!
Gloria Baker Feinstein, Execution Wall, Dachau, Germany, carbon piezo print, 2001, 2004.234.1.
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Leonard Baskin, Man of Peace, woodcut, 1952, 2017.48.1.
Header Images:
Left
Christi Belcourt and Isaac Murdoch, We Are Here to Protect: Water is Life, print on fabric, 2024.1.18.
Jasmine Bruce, Self Portrait, digital painting, 2018, 2018.55.3.
Jonathan Eloi Lantiegne, Siren, photograph, 2023, 2023.24.3.
Center
Josh McPhee, Celebrate People’s History: Amilcar Cabral, 2-color offset printed poster, 2015, 2020.23.86.
José Narezo, Untitled (Angel), mixed media, ca 1996, 2019.75.1.
Shepard Fairy and Ridwan Adhami, We The People: Greater Than Fear, print, 2017, 2022.49.1b.
Right
José Guadalupe Posada, Calavera de Doña Tomasa y Simon el Agradar, restrike print, 2004, 2005.00154.1.
Don Jungerai, Spider, acrylic on canvas, 2016.74.1.
Ryan Harbin, More is Better, digital print, 2011, 2011.22.4.
Art on Campus
For more information about the artwork selection and installation process, please contact our Project Manager, Alison Christensen; [email protected].
University Art Collection
For questions related to any artwork in the University Art Collection, in storage or on view, please contact our Collections Manager, Nicole Webb; [email protected].
Learning
For questions about integrating artwork into curriculum, please contact our Learning and Outreach Manager, Jessica Sundstrom; [email protected].