Pieces created by Michael J. Rosen are showcased in the Faculty Club. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Faculty Club
The Ohio State Faculty Club welcomes “Forward, and, In the Dark,” a new exhibition highlighting Michael J. Rosen’s works — including monotypes, collages and paintings. The Ohio-based artist and alum will give an artist talk Nov. 29 at 3:30 p.m.
During his time at Ohio State in the mid-’70s studying zoology and pre-medicine, Rosen said he took a handful of art courses to give himself a creative outlet. Rosen then received his Master’s of Fine Arts in poetry from Columbia University in 1981, published several children’s books, directed the James Thurber House — a nonprofit literary center and museum — and created an abundance of pieces.
“Art was always like the inner passion and science was a curiosity. While I was at OSU suffering in six-hour long chemistry and physics labs, I would offset that with art classes and classes in poetry,” Rosen said.
Rosen’s artist talk is free to attend and will include a live art demo and a Q&A from the audience, Robie Benve, Ohio State Faculty Club art coordinator, said.
“Anytime I have gone to an artist talk, I took things home that I did not expect to. Sometimes it’s not the technique as painters or drawers, it’s how they approach life, how they market themselves and how they network,” Benve said. “I think having someone with the experience of Michael, especially younger people, can find something that is valuable.”
Rosen said the exhibition intends to highlight works displaying domesticated images that mean something to him and are familiar to viewers.
“It’s an exhibit of familiar things,” Rosen said. “They are all within our hands reach. There are flowers and wildflowers, books, balls, shells, bottles and jars. It is the familiars, but I use that word the way they say, ‘A cat is the witch’s familiar,’ right? So, these are the things that are associated with me.”
Benve said she began working with Rosen after starting her position at the Faculty Club in April. From then to the opening of the exhibition Oct. 31, the two worked side-by-side to create the show.
“I was thrilled to know that he was going to be scheduled, and I was going to be the curator of the show. It was the idea to create a nice consistent look but with variety, and I think we achieved that,” Benve said. “It was a very thoughtful and not-so-easy process of editing out beautiful work.”
Benve said the planning process included a visit to Rosen’s home to seek out potential works for the exhibition.
“We had a couple of studio visits, but when I went to his house, to see his amazing amount of work, his creativity, all the ceramics, the paintings, the collages and some metalwork sculptures, it was amazing what the mind can do,” Benve said.
Rosen said they decided to display 2D pieces to better accommodate the space. Nearly all of the pieces included in the exhibition were created in the last two years, he said.
Rosen said the name “Forward, and, In the Dark” was an ode to American poet Robert Frost because of his background in poetry and how the phrase can also be related to fine art.
“Robert Frost used to say that poetry was like when he was a kid, he would put the blocks and toys and stuffed animals on the floor with hopes that the adults would come in the room and fall forward in the dark,” Rosen said. “It shows a little bit of mischief, but I think it also has a very sincere artistic motive and that is, you need people to stop in their tracks. When they pass by, you want them to fall for your work.”
The Ohio State Faculty Club’s “Forward, and, In the Dark” will showcase 34 of Rosen’s works, and the exhibition is free to attend through Dec. 18.
