Students who have the chance to set aside time for relaxation can find assistance to their leisure in the student art galleries.
Cal State Long Beach MFA sculpture student and video installation artist Elena Roznovan shows viewers the importance of patience and soaking in the beauty of a desert sunrise from the comfort of being indoors.
Her exhibit “Stop and Stare” is a video installation that lasts longer than the duration of an actual sunrise which takes two minutes and eight seconds.
“I juxtapose that environment of a desert site with the sunrise and a lightbox that I’ve been shooting,” Roznovan said. “Basically what I’m trying to do is bring out the phenomenology [philosophical study of consciousness] aspect of light and space and recreate an environment in a gallery setting.”
“Stop and Stare,” is a literal name because, as viewers walk through the curtain to see the piece, it is unclear at first glance that you’re watching a sunrise. Roznovan does this on purpose because she believes it makes the viewer slow down and appreciate her work and appreciate the desert sun emerging over the horizon.
“It looks like a static image with the lack of wind because it’s a desert site,” Roznovan said. “It’s hard to tell right away and I think I like that, because I’m interested in letting the viewer slow down and sort of observe. We live in such a fast environment, fast paced lifestyle and we forget to sit down and think about stuff and really reflect.”
Roznovan sees her piece as almost a challenge for people who are constantly on the go. People in a rush shouldn’t attempt to enjoy this exhibit unless they are capable of stepping away from their daily stressors for a few minutes.
“I wouldn’t say it tests the viewer’s endurance but it definitely implies that the viewer has to have some sense of endurance in order to actually understand what is happening,” she said.
Students can view Roznovan’s sunrise at the Gatov east building in the student art gallery from 12-5 p.m. March 5-9 and extended hours from 12-8 p.m. on March 8.
Roznovan will also soon show her work beyond CSULB campus.
“One show coming up is in Culver City at the Kopeikin gallery at the end of April and it’s going to be running until the end of May,” Roznovan said. “It’s a video collage I made out of found footage.”