Bogigian Gallery Presents Baltimore Artist’s Work Inspired by the Mason-Dixon Line

by Alyse Lynch

“A project like this may not have a finish,” says artist Jan Razauskas regarding her exhibit “Imagining the Mason-Dixon.”

Razauskas has eight pieces on display in the Bogigian Gallery, located in Lortz Hall. They will remain displayed until March 11. Her work has been displayed in the gallery since Feb. 2.

A reception for her work took place on Feb. 2 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm with an artist talk at 5:30pm. During her talk, Razauskas described how she researched this project and what she learned.

Capture the Intangible

In this project, Razauskas tried to “capture the intangible.” She studied how the literal and figurative Mason-Dixon Line, the division line made by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon between the northern and southern states during the 1800s, affected people without creating “another lynching painting.”

“Above all, it was fueled by a wish to gain perspective on how persistent displays of ideological intolerance might trace back directly to the Mason-Dixon division,” says Razauskas.

Razauskas works in her studio, not on site. She used photographs and online maps to help re-create the scene. She also relied on her own memory.

Razauskas’ current display includes six acrylic paintings on polypropylene, one acrylic painting on aluminum and one graphite drawing on paper.

The Bogigian Gallery is open Mon through Fri, 9:00am to 5:00pm. For more information of Razauskas’ work, see her website at jrazauskas.googlepages.com.

 

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