Minimalist art exhibit opens at Teaching Gallery

Jefri Nazri, Creative Editor

When introducing Nicol to the discussion audience on Thursday, Tara Fracalossi, the director of the Teaching Gallery, said, “It’s been a huge pleasure to share ideas and spend time and work with a such a smart, thoughtful, and generous artist.”

“We’ve been working on the show for several months. We started in the spring. It has been really fun installing the show, and I just can’t thank him enough for sharing his work and being such a great person to work with,” Fracalossi continued.

Nicol adopts a minimalist approach. He works with paintings on acrylic, paper, and utilizes various colored tapes. His art can be seen as simply ‘paintings of tape.’

He described the exhibition title as, “With, which, … these are function words … maybe they are like doors and windows in a house, in the sense that they are used for their emptiness.”

“That’s the feeling I’m after, for a painting to feel somehow complete or viable,” he continued.

“I’m not a big fan of minimalist art, but it’s definitely interesting. I prefer 3D art and sculptures, but I like his work,” said fine arts major Olivia Cafarelli.

“I thought the art discussion was interesting. Tom’s work is very structural. The artwork in the [Teaching] Gallery is a little smaller than I expected,” said Hannah Hutchinson, president of the Art League Club.

“The students are our main focus, not just the students who are art or digital media majors, but any students who are interested,” said Fracalossi.

“I think it’s always good to bring in other voices and bring in other ways of talking, thinking, and working about art,” she continued.

Nicol, an Ohio native, currently lives and works in Mellenville, NY, about 40 miles south of Troy. His work has been shown in four solo exhibitions at John Davis Gallery, in Hudson. He has also exhibited at the Toledo Museum, LABspace in Hillsdale, and Ventana24 in Brooklyn.

“With Which” will be on display at The Teaching Gallery until Oct. 24 and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.