The Oakland University Art Gallery’s newest exhibition, ‘Moving Forward,’ is up and running until Nov. 22. The exhibition features a number of works — including paintings, sculptures, prints and photographs — done by full-time faculty in the Department of Art & Art History. 

“There’s an interesting range of work,” said Dick Goody, chair of the department of art & art history and director of the Oakland University Art Gallery, via email. “There’s some wonderful nature photographs by David Lambert of ‘snags,’ which are ancient trees that provide a habitat for wildlife, Claude Baillargeon has some beautifully poetic photographs of Chernobyl and Cody VanderKaay has some incredibly precise sculptures. [They’re] so well conceived it’s hard to see how they’re made.” 

Goody highlighted additional works that will be on display from faculty — Susan Evans, Setareh Ghoreshi, Kimmie Parker, Bruce Charlesworth, Sally Tardella, Goody himself. He has four paintings in the exhibition, among others. 

The exhibition’s title, ‘Moving Forward,’ represents life right now, “with everything we’re going through, we have to keep moving,” according to Goody.  

For David Lambert, photo/media manager and special lecturer in art, the idea of ‘Moving Forward’ embodies the duty artists have to continue encouraging conversation.

“[In my opinion], the idea of ‘Moving Forward’ embodies the responsibility for artists to continue to make the work, make the statement and create the conversation,” Lambert said via email. “Especially, at this moment in history, we all need a ‘place’ where we can move into new thoughts, spaces and ideas. The artists’ in this exhibition provide plenty of opportunity for these experiences to occur.”

Those who do not want to tour the gallery in-person have a 360 online tour option. 

“I decided that our virtual presence needed enhancements so that if [visitors] didn’t feel [they] could attend the exhibition, [they] could get a very good immersion from the website,” Goody said via email. “We’re working on enhancements for access to the art collection too, which will be unveiled soon.”

Full-time faculty work on projects consistently, some taking many years to complete. 

“We always have work in progress,” Goody said via email. “We see our production as something that has to be continuous. If [we] don’t keep working, [we] lose momentum, [we] lose [our] conditioning, so we thrive on the fact that all the faculty are working artists.”

COVID-19 precautions are in place at the exhibit, including masks, temperature checks and social distancing. Only ten visitors are allowed inside at once, and visitors should complete the daily health screening form before arrival.  

“Though I will miss seeing a large group of people in the gallery. I think visitors have a rare opportunity to have an intimate, one-on-one experience with all of the pieces while visiting,” Lambert said via email. 

The OU Art Gallery, located in Wilson Hall, presents four to five exhibitions a year — with additional information on their website.