The Guilford College Art Gallery
Upon entering Hege Library, one of the first things visitors encounter is an astounding array of visual art. As the "scholarly crossroads" of the Guilford campus, the library offers an ideal location for the Guilford College Art Gallery, which has, as part of its mission, the goal of promoting interdisciplinary approaches to the study and interpretation of art.
The Guilford College Art Gallery opened in 1990 with more than 3,500 square feet devoted to exhibiting the college's teaching art collection and occasional temporary exhibitions. In addition to an enclosed main gallery, there are eight atrium galleries, vitrines, and an art storage area utilized by the college's art curator.
Original works of art in the collection function as a primary source of knowledge for faculty, students, and the community at large. Students analyze and study these objects in a variety of contexts; creative artists draw inspiration from them; faculty use them to reinforce their interdisciplinary approach to teaching.
Formed in 1973, the permanent collection was significantly expanded in 1986 with generous contributions by Rachel and Allen Weller (Mr. Weller was dean emeritus of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and director emeritus of the Krannert Art Museum at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), and by Ruth and Ira Julian, dedicated art collectors. It now boasts more than 875 items by nearly 450 artists.
The college seeks to collect works of art representing a broad range of periods, styles, and cultures. The collection includes original works by Rembrandt, Picasso, and Dali as well as an impressive selection of 20th-century American artists, featuring works by Grant Wood, Leon Golub, Miriam Schapiro, Robert Bechtle, Josef Albers, Roger Brown, Joseph Stella, and Abraham Rattner.