Felician University’s second free public art exhibition titled “Thisness and Whatness,” opened in October to coincide with Homecoming festivities. The Exhibition will run through December 12.

The exhibition features pieces by 13 New York and New Jersey artists, and includes painting, printmaking, photography, and sculpture. The show was curated by Felician’s “Artist in Residence,” Professor Scott Reeds, who teaches printmaking, and a course in color concepts. Reeds got the idea for the show while listening to Felician President, Dr. Anne Prisco at the 2017 reception for the University’s first art show Outside In. “And she started talking about a concept that St. Francis developed about a regard for all objects inanimate, and animate- subjects, having a special quality of “thisness.”

The idea of “Thisness” was developed by John Duns Scotus, a Franciscan friar philosopher, and theologian who influenced both Catholic and secular thinking. In addition to exploring the theological concept of “Thisness,” or the uniqueness of all creatures, the exhibition also considers things from the secular perspective of “Whatness,” or the essence of a thing.

Most of the artwork is on display at the Education Commons building located at One Felician Way in Rutherford. The show includes a mixed media piece by Felician Art Melissa MacAlpin that addresses the history and legacy of American Colonialism. “I am interested in the way we document this time period in our history and the way it is used in contemporary politics.” Another piece in the exhibition is an outdoor sculpture by Abe McNally who grew up on a Christmas tree farm in Vermont. McNally’s father cut down 200 invasive birch trees on the property- trees which the artist used to create his thought-provoking piece.

Reeds, who is a 2019 recipient of an Adolph and Ester Gottlieb Foundation Individual Support Award, hopes the art exhibition will call attention to the fact that Felician University doesn’t only offer courses in Nursing, Education, and Business. “I hope that if students see the show, it will inspire them to think about taking art classes. The show’s color catalog will include an essay by wel-l known painter, Stephen Maine, who writes for the online art journal Hyperallergic.

Reed says the Jersey art scene is “somewhat autonomous but a lot of artists live in New Jersey, and show in New York, and vice versa, and we want to take advantage of all of that talent that is nearby.” Artists included in Thisness and Whatness Exhibition are Emily Berger, Jessamyn Box, Betsey Garand, Beth Livensperger, Melissa MacAlpin, Daina Mattis,Tom McGlynn, Abe McNally, John Monti, Christian Nguyen, Gelah Penn, Jeffrey Sturgess, and Tenesh Webber.
About Felician University

Felician University engages over 2,300 undergraduate, graduate, and adult students through programs in Arts & Sciences, Business, Nursing, and Education. Universal Franciscan values of social justice, compassion, and respect for human dignity serve as an inclusive foundation for transforming the lives of tomorrow’s leaders. Felician University’s education is ranked 3rd best return on investment for private colleges in New Jersey 2018 by the PayScale.com College ROI Report and is ranked #1 safest college campus in the state by niche.com.