Student enquiry–staff response to artwork in PJH

Kia ora koutou,

We have had a student at MB who is doing an essay for art history on the artwork My Malevich by Robert McLeod, which hangs in PJH in the area behind the Den.
http://kohika.canterbury.ac.nz/opac_canterbury/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/Collections/Web_coll_det_rep?sessionsearch&fld=SISN&exp=635 

She is interested in responses to the artwork since it has been hung in a public area. One idea for approaching this was to ask how library staff had responded to the work, or if they had been given feedback from library users. 

We were therefore wondering if anyone had any personal responses/reflections they were willing to share (in whatever way—she would love to talk to someone, but I’m sure anonymously would also be fine), or whether there was any general or specific feedback that anyone has received.

The assignment is due Friday (tomorrow), so any feedback would be need to be given quickly. But she has been having difficulty finding material for the essay so any help would be appreciated. If you would like to offer any responses or feedback, please let me know and I can pass it on to the student or put you in touch.

Thanks a lot,

Matt

2 thoughts on “Student enquiry–staff response to artwork in PJH”

  1. Kia ora Matt,

    Not sure if it’s too late, but, I have had many students over the last few years come up to me and ask (especially on the late shift), is there really a penis and vagina painting on the back wall of level 2. There seems to be almost a myth or joke between students to tell their friends that haven’t figured it out. I think people do not expect the library to have this kind of artwork because they don see it as being typical for an academic library. It seems the uncertainty of what the artworks are comes from the idea that surely the library wouldn’t display genitals.

    Juliet 🙂

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