ALTOONA, Pa. — "Visceral Reactions," a solo exhibition by Penn State Altoona visual art studies senior Emily Beam, will run April 22 through May 2, in the Sheetz Gallery of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Beam intends to graduate from Penn State Altoona in May 2021 with a bachelor of arts in visual art studies and a bachelor of science in biology. Her work is often figure-based and explores anatomy, emotion and nature. It's rooted in her fascination with anatomy and her desire to enter the medical field.
"Visceral Reactions" intertwines Beam's passion for art and biology and exposes their interconnectedness while highlighting the innate connection human beings have with nature. Her work is inspired by the complexity of the human body, "a work of art that allows us to feel, think, create, and express our emotions in ways that no other animal is capable of doing."
Her work evokes an appreciation for the organs that allow people to interact with the world around them by tying anatomy to emotions. There are numerous anatomical diagrams and models that capture the human body's likeness, but, in life, anatomy is not separate from emotions. For this reason, in Beam's work, organs, inspired by anatomical models, lie exposed within seemingly live human figures.
Her work calls for viewers to recognize others as human beings like themselves who are filled with emotions. As in real life, people can draw from their own experiences to understand the people's emotions within her work and empathize with them. Additional works by Beam can be seen on her Instagram account @embeam.art.
The galleries are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday. For further information, call the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts at 814-949-5452.