the ARt project

the ARt project started October 2011, from the original vision of an OSU post-Bacc student and community artist.

Kerrie B. Wrye, wants to make the local arts resources on the OSU campus more accessible and understandable for people.

“Why make the arts accessible?”  you might ask. Doesn’t everybody already have more access to culture through technology, and films for example?

One part of the response is to focus this approach on accessibility, to include those who may not ever ask about or participate in the arts.

The artist knows first-hand, how art and design can truly help to bridge gaps between our communication with others, and understanding ourselves in relation to the daily interactions we each navigate in the world, both locally and globally.

Through  a lifetime of experimental explorations in both art and human understanding, the artist has gained insight on an innovative way to start building inclusive access  by focusing on the permanent art across the Oregon State University campus.

It is a relative-sized, local collection with many beautiful examples of contemporary art. Works that provoke laughter, thoughtfulness, and outright amazement in the discovery of all each work has to offer. Two more wonderful things: it’s free and looking over and over, doesn’t get old. Looking long, deeply and even over time grows into a relationship based on one’s eyes, and so much more.

The permanent art collection is spread across the entire campus, and even though the total count is as yet unknown, it’s also true the first piece brought into the collection and when, are also details yet to learn.

This collection provides a really perfect way to get to know the academic setting and the surrounding community at-large.

In so many important ways, the ARt project already participates in providing among the best initial reasons for getting to know the university.

For example, how many people would expect to find a thriving and diversified humanities program at a university dominated by research in the sciences, engineering, forestry, agriculture and business? It wasn’t until the mid-1920’s,  when a man from Utah by the name of Fairbanks was hired to create the first art program at OSU.

Today, in the 21st C, the ARt project is a mobile application proof-of-concept prototype, that already provides interactive access to one delightful portion of the permanent art collection at OSU.