Intermedia Gallery Group, or IGG, works to be a safe space for all artists to express themselves. Hosting solo or joint shows with student artists, members of Intermedia Gallery Group invite all students, faculty, and staff to walk through different shows and see the world through different artists’ points of view.
“A big part of what IGG is, is uplifting other students, especially their artwork and offering skills that would transfer to more professional art spaces outside school,” Kristen Holsworth, one of IGG's three co-presidents, said.
Intermedia Gallery Group wrapped their first art show of the fall 2024 semester and are gearing up for their next one. The show was called "Break the Ice" and featured student-made zines.
“We chose ‘Break the Ice’ to be like ‘hey, we are here and we are taking over this space,’” Holsworth said.
Founded in 1977, Intermedia Gallery Group currently has 34 members all working to help revitalize their gallery space located on the second floor of the Student Center, in order to bring a new sense of identity to the space. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, IGG was on the verge of losing the gallery space as there was only one member running the organization at that time.
“Art teachers were having us sign petitions...It was the fear of having that student space taken away that was also a push for me,” IGG Co-President Madison Cantrell said.
Due to the strong art community at Eastern Michigan University, students, faculty, and staff helped the gallery be able to continue as a space where all artists feel welcomed to spread their messages through their art.
“We bring individuality and we bring resilience to this community,” Co-President Paris Stinson said. “I feel like artists are the first people to actually take a stand and actually make change.”
“Inherently to be an artist is to be an activist, you can’t do just one...they co-exist in a lot of ways,” Cantrell said.
Members of IGG are often able to combine their interests and create something that is unique to them. As all art forms are able to be featured, all students interested in art either as a career or even just as a hobby, are welcomed to join Intermedia Gallery Group. Holsworth emphasizes that IGG serves as a great stepping stone for the artists looking to submit their work and be able to see first hand the community’s response to it.
At the beginning of each semester IGG holds a ‘Call for Art’ where artists can apply for the chance of having their work shown in the gallery. Aside from the student art shows, Intermedia Gallery Group also has an Annual Juried Student Show where a local artist comes to judge different art pieces submitted by students for the chance to win a cash prize. Stinson was the recipient of the latest AJSS award, which influenced her to join IGG and become a co-president.
“Just knowing someone had a reaction to my piece, especially a positive one...was really impactful,” Stinson said.
While EMU offers many different arts-based organizations, one component of IGG that sets it apart is that it focuses on fostering a space, like having a gallery, for students to be able to show their work and be student run, and [see other] students work, Cantrell said.
While there is pressure to keep the gallery running after almost losing it, the co-presidents all feel up to the challenge, as they know that the gallery has become an important addition to the Eastern community.
“As long as we do it our way and not in a way that it is like we are trying to impress people,” Stinson said. “That individuality, that art is, is the best way that we have been doing it.”
Putting on shows for the EMU community has become a group effort, with everyone in IGG working together to make sure the artists have everything they need to have a successful show and make sure their art is reflected in the public’s eye as the artists imagined it to be.
With IGG both decreasing and increasing in member size since it was first founded in 1977, the co-presidents reflect back and hope the founders would be able to feel pride in how they have been able to bring it back and revitalize not only the gallery space, but also the importance of what IGG means to the students.
“Everybody who is a part of IGG banded together. That is the best thing about IGG, is the community and I think [the founders] would be so proud of us,” Holsworth said.
Cantrell expressed that the historical component of IGG adds meaning to the group.
“There are some art orgs that are newer or don’t have a space..I think it is really valuable that we have a history and a presence, [and] to know we are building on that,” Cantrell said.
The next show being put on by the Intermedia Gallery Group will start Oct. 7 and run until Oct. 21. ‘Structure and Terrain’ will be featuring art by student artist, Lisse Williams. Followed by art shows ‘Amanda by Amanda’ by student artist Amanda Kroll and ‘Black Girl Rising’ by student artist Nia Crutcher. To see the shows put on by IGG, visit the student gallery located in the Student Center.
To stay updated on all shows, follow IGG on instagram @intermediaemu.
