In Ratrock’s “Call to Artists,” Columbia and Barnard undergraduates are encouraged to submit their artwork around a selected theme. The artwork received is then curated into a digital gallery and featured in a show. In keeping with the willingness to democratize art, every artist is guaranteed at least one piece in the gallery.
The theme of the Fall CTA, disposable, led to a wide scope of interpretation of the theme and range of eclectic artworks. Overall, works proposed a reflection on material disposability, but also on the disposability of subject matter. The latter could entail taking a picture of an object perceived as being disposable such as plastic bags.
Works included sculptural assemblages of items found in the street, pictures of literal trash along with photos taken on a disposable film camera. More meta works were concerned with the disposable aspects of an image (i.e. the contact print or first image of the role) and a photo playing on the notion of “disposable income,” to name just a few examples. The event culminated with a performance by the genre-defying band CHKY. The curation itself was tailored to the theme. The art studio Dodge 501 was covered in trash bags, the central stage adorned with the Ratrock sign, and empty boxes of pasta.