EMU grad students showcase their art in “Visceral Soup” show in Ypsi

On the Ground Ypsilanti is an “embedded journalism” program covering the city and township of Ypsilanti. It is supported by Ann Arbor SPARK, the Center for Health and Research Transformation, Destination Ann Arbor, Eastern Michigan University, Engage @ EMU, Washtenaw Community College, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, and Washtenaw ISD.

The new art show “Visceral Soup” at 22 North Gallery, 22 N. Huron St. in Ypsilanti, features work from 11 Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Master of Fine Arts students working across ceramics, painting, installation, and mixed media. An exhibition of student work is an annual winter-semester tradition for a graduate-level critique and seminar course led by Prof. Brian Spolans.

The show was curated collaboratively by 22 North owner Nan Plummer and Spolans, who selected from student submissions with an eye toward cohesion and the physical limitations of the space.

“This is our 10th collaboration with EMU,” Plummer says. “We asked for three works. Brian and I picked what we thought would fit well and go together well and best represent the students’ work at this point.”

The resulting exhibition highlights both thematic overlap and individual artistic evolution. For artist Sean Harris, that means showcasing a wide-ranging practice that spans painting and sculpture while grappling with deeply personal subject matter.

“My work explores things like devastation and cancer and loss,” Harris says. “I’m curious to see what people will discover and interpret when they look at my work.”

Harris’ contributions include pieces from his “Cancer” series, which uses abstraction and symbolism such as trees to explore illness, grief, and resilience. Artist Melissa Snyder’s work, by contrast, centers on two figurative watercolor pieces that she describes as a deeply connected whole.

“I call them sisters,” Snyder says. “I’ve developed my craft better with watercolor in particular. These were the ones I was the most proud of and what I wanted to share with people.”

Artist Ginger Chase’s installation-based work adds a tactile, evolving dimension to the exhibition. Built from found and manipulated materials, her piece reflects an ongoing practice rooted in observation and experimentation.

“Every time I install it, it’s a different iteration,” Chase says. “It utilizes a lot of experiments and play I’ve done. It’s a lot of fun and I’m really happy to be installing it.”

While the works differ in medium and subject, the artists share a common thread of openness and vulnerability – something Snyder says is palpable throughout the show.

“To have that all in one space is very powerful,” she says. “We’re all taking steps to talk about things that are close to our hearts.”

Plummer emphasizes that the exhibition also serves as a critical professional experience for emerging artists, offering opportunities to engage with audiences beyond the university setting.

“I hope they get some experience working together in a group show and meeting absolute perfect strangers,” she says. “We want to show what artists in our community are making right now.”

For many of the artists, “Visceral Soup” marks a chance to reflect on their development while looking ahead to future careers in the arts.

“I can really see the progress I’ve made,” Chase says. “What I’m hoping for everyone is that this is a step toward actualizing and realizing we can do this.”

The show runs from March 21- April 14, with a reception on April 3 taking place from 5-8 p.m. Gallery hours are 2-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Requests to visit outside of gallery and reception hours can be made at 22 North’s website. 

“The art of observing is so central to my creative process,” Chase says. “If that can inspire people to pay attention and find rewards for paying attention, that would be an amazing outcome.”