An upcoming art show hopes to take art where it has never been before. The all student-run committee, The Bomb Squad, will be hosting its first show, All Locked Up, in a unique location: the BYU LaVell Edwards Stadium guest locker room.
“We like to do it in places that you don’t really find an art show,” said Brianna Hatch, creative director of All Locked Up.
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This show will feature more than 25 artists, and according to Hatch the majority of the artwork featured has been created specifically for the show.
“Almost all of it is independently made for this show,” she said. “Art students do things for classes, but we do more for ourselves.”
One of the most impressive aspects of the show is it is completely student based and volunteer run. Everything from the artwork to the food is provided by students who simply want to share.
“All of this is volunteer work and coming out of our own pocket; everyone is providing their own services,” Hatch said.
This raises the question of why students would come together for such a thing, when it requires so much work. Hatch said it’s for the experience together and individually.
“It’s not about me,” Hatch said. “It’s about everybody else having an experience together. To show our stuff and to put our name out there. A lot of students’ things are put out and then put in a closet somewhere. This way we get to put our stuff out there and let it shine.”
Lauren Ward, a junior from Chattanooga, Tenn., studying in the 2-D studio program, is also a member of the committee. Ward explained the reasoning behind the committee’s name comes from the idea that their shows have a sense of action.
“We were thinking about the idea of finding random places and we’d kind of ‘bomb’ them with art,” she said. “We thought it would be really neat to transform these kind of mundane places into creative spaces.”
Ward said she’s enjoyed the experience she’s had working with other students in The Bomb Squad.
“This was one of the first student committees I’ve been on and it’s really fun to see a bunch of students coming together,” Ward said. “There’s a lot of talent.”
Visitors can expect to see this talent in a variety of forms at the show. All Locked Up is planned to have installations, photos, videos, performance pieces, ceramics and more.
Ward said she thinks viewing the contemporary works All Locked Up has to offer provides a valuable experience to those not typically exposed to art.
“I feel like [with] the art shows that we have in the HFAC, students often don’t know about,” she said. “I think this is a great opportunity to get people outside of art to experience art in a whole different context.”
Melinda Whitaker, who is in the 2D studio program of the visual arts department, will be showing a contemporary piece at All Locked Up. She said she is most enthusiastic to see the pieces in the context of the locker room.
“I think I’m most excited about the space and how we’re reacting to it and seeing how [it] either adds to or magnifies what we’re doing,” Whitaker said.
And Whitaker hopes the atmosphere of the locker room will make those less involved in art more comfortable than sometimes-intimidating museums.
“I think the space will attract curiosity even if they’re not so excited about the art, and I kind of hate to say that because I hope they’re excited about the art,” she said. “But it’s an interesting space, not just a cut and dry museum … It’s not so imposing and academic and can maybe open up more discussion.”
All Locked Up will be April 5-6 from 7-9 p.m. in LaVell Edwards Stadium, in the guest locker room on 5th portal on the northwest side.
