Florida Atlantic’s University Galleries Presents ‘Common Ground: Imagined Landscapes Through Design’

Image: Eliezer Weishoff, 1995. Image courtesy of Skenkar Design Research Center

The University Galleries at Florida Atlantic’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters is proud to present the exhibition of “Common Ground: Imagined Landscapes Through Design” through Saturday, Sept. 21 in the Schmidt Center Gallery, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. An opening reception, including light refreshments, will take place on Thursday, Aug. 29 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. All events, including the opening reception, are free and open to the public.

The focus of “Common Ground” is to showcase the connectivity of land in its most iconic form in Israel through the juxtaposition of contemporary and historical, artistic and communicative works. These works address each landscape’s myth, characters and materials to resonate a sense of belonging and wonder.

Curated in partnership with Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art in Ramat Gan, Israel, “Common Ground” presents a journey through three landscape typologies, all on a scale of natural and human impact. These familiar yet abstract places foster a connection through a common memory and emotion while retaining a sense of mystery, fantasy and wonder. Each habitat offers an invitation to explore the idea of human and natural balance through tactile textile works.

The Schmidt College of Arts and Letters Ph.D. program in Comparative Studies partners with Shenkar College in the FAU Ph.D. track Design, Aesthetics, and the Arts (DAA), which welcomes students from both colleges in Israel and Florida. The two colleges worked together to develop this area of study that analyzes the philosophy and theory of design. Shenkar has world-class programs in the visual arts, fashion and all aspects of design, including the history and philosophy of design. They have the 6th ranked fashion school in the world and the 9th ranked industrial design department in Europe and the Americas, according to The Business of Fashion and Red Dot Design Awards, respectively.

The DAA Ph.D. track is being led by Richard Shusterman, the Dorothy F. Schmidt Eminent Scholar in Humanities and one of the world’s foremost authorities on aesthetics, and particularly somaesthetics, a term he coined.  The DAA program’s areas of strength include the philosophy of aesthetics, the philosophy and theory of design, visual art, visual culture, art history (including digital games), multimedia, architecture, musicology and theatrology. 

There will be a discussion with the curator for the exhibition, Tom Kohen of Shenkar College, on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 9:30 am. This will be a virtual presentation  about “Common Ground” and about the relationship between FAU and Shenkar College.

FAU’s University Galleries is open Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. School and group tours can be scheduled by appointment by contacting Helen Edmunds at UGMuseumEd@fhcyl.com. The Schmidt Center Gallery is located in the Performing Arts building (Building 51). Daytime visitors must obtain a temporary one-day parking pass online for $5 at http://parking.fhcyl.com to park in Parking Garage 2 for Schmidt Center Gallery. Metered parking in the lot just north of the entrance to Parking Garage 2 is available via the ParkMobile app with credit or debit card payment.    

The 2024-25 University Galleries exhibitions and programs are supported by the Isadore and Kelly Friedman University Galleries Fund and sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Museum Education Programs are made possible by the Kaye Arts Integration Endowment.  For more information, call 561-297-2661, email vcote@fhcyl.com or visit fhcyl.com/galleries.