Lee Renninger poses with her art. (Courtesy Lee Renninger)
The University of Mississippi Museum will open the “A Light Passage“ exhibit by Lee Renninger today. Lee Renninger is a ceramic-based installation artist from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Renninger has had a very successful career with exhibits in venues from New York to Texas and has had Artist-in-Residency appointments internationally. Now, she will share her work on The University of Mississippi campus.
“I’ve always regarded Ole Miss as our state’s most notable university,” Renninger said. “I’m honored to play a tiny role in the university’s developing history.”
The excitement for the exhibit is also evident at the museum. Marti Funke, collections manager at the museum, has been preparing for the exhibit.
“‘A Light Passage’ is a modular installation that piques the imagination,” Funke said. “It is reminiscent of candy or flora and brings the visitor into a garden of ceramic beauty.”
The pieces to be exhibited in “A Light Passage” are part of a larger collection, “Botanica.” The whimsy and bright colors of “Botanica” are clearly expressed in “A Light Passage“ with selections to highlight the spirit of both the collection and the artist.
“I wanted to take a direction that would allow me to work in ways I hadn’t tried before. “Botanica” is the perfect body of work to explore stacked constructions and color,” Renninger said about her inspiration for the “Botanica” collection.
The pieces selected for “A Light Passage“ also show Renninger’s adventurous spirit toward her work. Over the last few years, Renninger has focused on creating sculptural fabric using ceramic parts. Recently, she has been working on floor-based gardens. This movement came about during the creation of “Botanica: Candyland,” one of the works to be displayed during “A Light Passage.”
The pieces in “A Light Passage“ also tell a story about the Mississippi artist and her journey.
“Since I regard my own life as a passage through time, I wanted to make work that reflected bright, carefree moments — making them into structures that provide a kind of mental respite,” Renninger said about works in the exhibit, citing “Candyland” and “Le Jardin de la Patisserie” as examples.
The University of Mississippi Museum is a strong component of the artistic culture of Ole Miss. Students are able to experience works of art on our own campus. For many art students, this is an important part of their education and growth.
“As an art major, having the museum on campus is invaluable. When working with art, it is nothing but beneficial for students to view as much work as possible form a broad spectrum of artists,” said senior art student Parker Aiken. “The University Museumallows students to view works old and new and can even be a source of inspiration.”
Renninger hopes to inspire others through her work. With her impressive academic history, Renninger finds it important to share her art and drive with young artists and plans on reaching out through “A Light Passage.”
“It’s always important to expose students—particularly art students—to contemporary artists who are active in the field. In my work, I try to push myself into unknown terrain with each new piece,” Renninger said. “Hopefully, I can inspire the same.”
“A Light Passage“ will open on Aug. 26 and will continue through Dec. 18. The reception for the exhibit will be today at 5 p.m. “A Light Passage“ will also be part of the Oxford Arts Crawl. Students may visit The University of Mississippi Museum for free from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
-Sara Elizabeth Baker
