A recent exhibition at the Calvin Center Art Gallery, Revealed, featured 25 additions to the Calvin College Permanent Collection of Art from the past two years. Included in the recent acquisitions are paintings and drawings by local artists Armand Merizon and Reynold Weidenaar, hand-colored stencil prints by Japanese artist Sadao Watanbe, digital photographs by Lee Pool, and Luke 15:24 ink on rice paper by Yuanhua Shen— a new asset for the Prodigal Son Collection.
Calvin began collecting art more than 90 years ago, with one of the first gifts being a painted portrait of John Calvin by William Monsma.
There are now approximately 1,900 pieces in the college’s permanent collection, 800 of which are currently on display on Calvin’s campus.
A recent installation includes the photographs of Lee Pool— mostly Michigan landscapes and plants—in the Broene Center and Health Services.
The purpose of the permanent collection is to educate students and the broader Calvin community, to document the history of Calvin by collecting work from students and faculty, and to celebrate artisanship, concepts and ideas.
