Gallery 234 is an innovative art gallery unlike any others. Located on the University of Wyoming campus, it implements a personable and enlightening flare that adheres to anyone who visits.
Junior Ashley Hildebrandt, originally from Arvada, Colo., is striving to bridge the gap between the gallery and the Laramie and campus community. As a major in communications, Hildebrandt came into her current position as the gallery coordinator in 2012 with goals to reinvent Gallery 234.
“We are trying to make it more well known,” she said. “I want people to get involved and I want people to relate to the exhibits.”
Gallery 234 started with a rocky beginning. It went through multiple different names, coordinators and locations. Originally called the ASUW Gallery, it featured artwork in room 234 of the Union. Eventually the space took on the clever name of Gallery 234 and the artwork moved to the lower level of the Union.
At the current location, the gallery is right at the foot of the lower stairs where students can see it on a regular basis. As long as the Union is open, the gallery is open, and anyone can take a stroll through to admire the exhibits.
The overall mission of Gallery 234 is to feature talented, unknown artists and to assist the average person in connecting with art. The gallery strives to showcase local artists who are tied to the university in some way.
“We are trying to engage people in art and showcase people’s artistic abilities when they aren’t famous enough to be in art museums,” Hildebrandt said. “Also the educational aspect people get from the exhibits is what I think sets us apart.”
The current show displays the photography of UW graduate student Peter Gibbons, in a collection titled “Art of the Hunt.” The exhibit was cultivated by the American Studies Program and the Wyoming Art’s Council. It will later be presented at the Wyoming State Museum in June.
Gibbons, originally from Colorado, is working toward a dual masters in American Studies and Environmental and Natural Resources. He is focusing on environmental and cultural development in the west, which is what sparked his interest in this particular project.
“I am interested in telling the stories of people and places in the west that are undergoing change, and even those that are holding onto tradition,” he said. “As a westerner, these are very close to my personal and academic interests.”
The theme is to portray the craftsmanship of artists around Wyoming and how they keep the western tradition of hunting alive. Ranging from fish taxidermy to leather work, Gibbons captures the artistry these Wyoming locals obtain while also telling their stories through photos.
“My purpose was to highlight neat work that is being done that would really have no other outlet of being shown in this way,” Gibbons said. “This wasn’t just a couple snap shots – this was the product of me being there for several hours forming a relationship. I was really interested in telling these people’s stories to as many as I could.”
Although Gibbons knew of Gallery 234, he admitted he never imagined being a component of it. He said although he has dabbled in photography since childhood, displaying his artwork in a gallery was a fresh experience for him. He appreciated Gallery 234 was able to expose his hobby for everyone to relish and learn about.
“There is so much to show in these photos, I couldn’t have exhibited this in any other way but in a gallery,” Gibbons said. “If anything, Gallery 234 has really helped me to see how a gallery can go and what it takes to get into one. Now I have the skill set and the mind set to go out and do this with any of my own personal projects.”
Past exhibits have varied from incorporating art with rap to interactive mental health awareness to honoring the Holocaust with drawings. The gallery focuses on diverse, unusual artwork that speaks to a wide array of people.
“Interactivity – I want people to get involved,” Hildebrandt said her goals for the gallery. “I want people to relate to it [the art] and take something substantial from it.”
Hildebrandt is also responsible for choosing spotlighted artists. She works to find distinct artwork that captures an authentic and creative flare. Occasionally, Hildebrandt gets an up-and-coming artist who is not affiliated with the university. For the most part, however, she does her best to keep them local. Often, the artists are graduate students or even alumni from the university.
“I look at who applies and choose something unique,” she said. “I try to make a variety so it [the artwork] gets to different people.”
After an artist is chosen, they have the freedom to be creative. They have full leeway to create a fitting atmosphere for their show. Gibbons, for example, was inspired to set up his display after an old-fashioned dark room, hanging the photos as if they were being hung up to dry.
“I thought it was genius,” Hildebrandt said of the ambiance in Gibbon’s exhibit. “I think it’s good because they know their art and what they’re trying to do.”
During each art show there is a reception to introduce the public to the artist’s creations. Guests range from professors to friends and family of the artist to various pupils in Laramie. However, Laramie citizens are catching on to the gallery’s vibe as well.
“I have three or four regulars from the community who come to every reception,” Hildebrandt said.
Exhibits stay on display for up to three weeks, where they can be savored for free by anyone interested. Artists can choose to sell their artwork, but it is solely up to them.
Hildebrandt said she truly enjoys witnessing people experience the different artwork for the first time. In her free time, she does her homework near the gallery where she can see people’s unfiltered expressions.
“I sit and watch people as they come through and look at every picture,” she said. “I really like that people don’t really have a reason but they just come through and look at it.”
The next expositions lined up for the spring semester involve Native American artwork and moving art expressed through yoga.
So if you find yourself in the Union, be sure to check out Gallery 234 and everything it has to offer – and keep your eye out for the girl observing you nearby.
