On Wednesday, Dec. 4, the former University of New Hampshire Museum of Art, now titled the Gallery of Art, held a reception for its latest exhibition, “Circles Around the Sun” by Jennifer Caine. A renowned artist and senior lecturer at Dartmouth College, Caine has also received several awards and taught at many other distinguished universities. Her work has been exhibited across the globe and in the States.
“Circles Around the Sun” began as a discussion among Gallery Director Benjamin Cariens, Professor Sachiko Akiyama, and Caine. The Gallery of Art has sourced and displayed work from various artists and creators and has a full schedule of exhibitions in the spring of 2025. Despite limited funding, the gallery appears to be flourishing under the guidance of Cariens and staff in the art department, and the current exhibition featuring Caine is an excellent example of the gallery’s success.
“I was so excited to share the paintings with a student audience in this beautiful, expansive space,” said Caine, “I am grateful for the support from the department, including the student assistants, who were very helpful in pulling it all together.”
The paintings in “Circles Around the Sun” were developed over the course of two years from 2022 to 2024. “I usually work in series, over a period of time,” Caine said, “as I work in layers and on multiple large paintings simultaneously.” The exhibit features a mix of larger and smaller paintings, split between the upper and lower levels of the gallery. Many of the paintings are inspired by the fleeting nature of time, and how one must pause to observe and be present in the moment.
During the exhibition reception, Caine discussed the importance of attending art exhibitions and shows to experience art in person. This was a part of her motivation to make her pieces best experienced in the gallery. The works featured in “Circles Around the Sun” are not photographable, and meant to be seen in person. The subtle nature of the paintings and their complexity pushes viewers to look longer than a glance, and truly experience the depth of the work.
“My intention with this body of work was to make paintings that require presence to be apprehended. They are experiential,” said Caine.
When asked about a takeaway she hopes viewers receive from her work, Caine said, “The absence of an overt, immediate image makes the paintings disarming, and my hope is that this will spark curiosity and encourage viewers to look closely to search for something to see.”
Caine goes on to say, “As the paintings reveal themselves over time, I hope they invite the viewer to linger and then stay with the viewer after they leave.”
“Circles Around the Sun” is on display at the University of New Hampshire Gallery of Art until January 3rd, 2025. It is free to attend and open to all.
