FC Art Gallery Reopens After COVID Hiatus
The FC Art Gallery is open! After nearly 18 months, the FC Art Gallery opened its doors on Sept. 14 with a new exhibition. Figure/Ground: Selections from the Fullerton College Art Collection is a selection of artwork that focuses on the human form (figure) and landscape (ground) while examining the way artists utilize the figure-ground relationship.
“Figure and ground refer to the way the human brain perceives physical form, typically using contrast to distinguish an object or form from its context or surroundings. In other words, as we view an artwork, we identify a figure from its background,” said FC Art Gallery Director Carol Henke.
Rooted in 20th century German Gestalt psychology, figure-ground is a type of visual organization of how humans perceive negative and positive space.
Experimentations with figure-ground in visual arts date back to the early 20th century when Danish psychologist Edgar Rubin created optical illusions in the form of black and white shapes, challenging viewers’ perceptions of form, depth, and special relationship. Since then, artists have played with techniques of figure-ground, inviting multiple interpretations and perceptions of the artwork.
The FC Art Gallery is located in Building 1000, Room 1004, and is open Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 2 – 4 p.m. Masks are required indoors.
