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Delivering a baby: Kristen Prosen’s art debut

Posted by ilykeschloé ⋅ February 13, 2012 ⋅ Leave a Comment

Filed Under " art, Kristen Prosen, oliver gallery, Photography, USF

Kristen Prosen's photography display in the Oliver Gallery.

For the first time, Kristen Prosen, a senior English and studio art major, publicized her works in “Finding Yourself Right Where You Stand.”

Prosen compared the feeling of hosting her debut show to what she imagines having a baby would be like.

“It’s a hard, painful process and in the moment that’s all you can think of, but eventually that pain goes away, you can relax and be satisfied and then you’re ready to have another,” she said.

Before set up, Prosen knew exactly how she wanted it to look but was skeptical of executing her vision.

Her labor pains began while filling the spacious white walls of the Oliver Gallery two Saturday’s ago. The confines of a proper presentation; a straight line of evenly spaced work, precisely 60 inches from the ground; were constricting.

Even though her exhibit was mostly set-up by Monday, Prosen frequently returned to the Oliver Gallery making several changes in an attempt to portray her vision accurately.

“I didn’t like the way the lighting was set-up so I built a track lighting system to space the light on each piece more evenly,” Prosen said.

At the closing reception held last Friday, Prosen’s ideal gallery set-up was completed. Scents of Nag-champa, her favorite incense, filled the room, guests ate the catered food and the lighting illuminated her work just right — her essence controlled the entire space as she performed seven pieces and a poem.

Prosen admitted she made a mistake during her live performance but continued on fluidly and no one seemed to notice.

Stacy DeMott, a USF senior studio art major, had been looking forward to seeing Prosen’s live musical performance.

“[Prosen's] music is great; it has this folksy confessional outlook,” she said. “Her lyrics are refreshingly honest about small nuances in life that people don’t usually think to describe.”

Prosen estimated that she spent 10 to 15 hours putting everything together and after the final reception, it only took about two hours to take down.

“It was a huge process but it all happened so fast. Now, I’m like what was that for, now I don’t know what’s next,” she said. “Being in charge of this whole process was overwhelming, it sort of felt like I was parading my accomplishments.”

Still skeptical of titling herself an artist, Prosen’s first baby delivered.