A new exhibit at the Christian Petersen Art Museum examines abstract forms in sculpture. 

“Charles Ginnever: Folded Forms” features a variety of bright colors and geometric sculptures that change their shape when viewed from different angles. 

“The more you study the pieces, the more complex they get,” said museum curator Anne Pagel.

Pagel conducted an exercise with two students during an exploration of the exhibit. 

She had both students stand and observe two sculptures on opposite sides of the room. One student described the piece as looking like mountains, while the other student described the piece as a bird. 

When brought back together, the group realized that these sculptures were the same exact shape, just angled differently. 

Charles Ginnever had four main focuses throughout his works: the object, the viewer, motion, and time. These made his work very successful. 

Ginnever channeled inspiration for this exhibit from an old Russian film style, the Rashomon effect. The Rashomon effect refers to films where the same event was looked at from multiple viewpoints. Similarly, his sculptures can look completely different depending on the angle it is viewed from.

Ginnever was born in 1931 in San Mateo, Calif. He studied art throughout Europe and attended the California School of Fine Arts, which is now known as the San Francisco Art Institute. Later in life, Ginnever accepted a teaching position at Cornell University in New York while earning his master’s degree at the same time.

Ginnever died in 2019, at the age of 87, in his Vermont home. He is remembered by his art displayed all over the United States.

The exhibit will be on display through Dec. 17 on the first floor of Morrill Hall. The museum is free with a suggested donation of $8. There will also be an open house event of the entire Christian Petersen Art Museum from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 2 and 3. 

For more information about the exhibit, visit the museum’s website.