When you first encounter a work of art, it can be difficult to know how to react to it. In a museum or gallery, you may not know much about the artist or the piece’s background. It can be frustrating to find a place to start looking at and thinking about a specific work of art. One of the easiest ways to create a personal connection to a piece and begin to digest it is to ask: how does this piece make me feel? Once you have an answer to that first question, you can begin to ask more interesting questions, such as: why do I feel that way?

The goal of this exhibit is to pursue those questions through 7 works of art. Each piece has been selected for its portrayal of an emotion. Throughout each piece’s display, you will be asked to engage with how the artworks elicit those emotions. Once you’ve had a chance to see a work of art through that emotional lens, you’ll be able to challenge those emotions, and search for their complications.

All 7 of the chosen works are part of the SCMA’s Cunningham Center, home to the 24,000 works on paper in the museum’s collections. Smith students are able to request to view these pieces by contacting the Cunningham Center.

Note: Many pages of this project are currently unfinished and may be missing citations.

What is your mood?