Completely student-run art gallery at Eastern Michigan University.
In 1977, a group of art students decided that they needed an exhibition space of their own. The students realized that prospective artists needed experience exhibiting in a gallery space. Through politicking, fundraising, and pure energy, the Intermedia Gallery and the associated Intermedia Gallery Group were born.
The Intermedia Gallery was a very unique part of Eastern Michigan University. Free from faculty or McKenny Union control, it was one of only three student-run galleries in the nation. The lifeblood of the gallery was the Intermedia Gallery Group. This group of students made all of the decisions affecting the gallery—coordinating shows, publicity, and fundraising.
Until it’s closure in November 2006, the Intermedia Gallery Group operated the Intermedia Gallery in the McKenny Union. On November 6, the new EMU Student Center officially opened and IGG became the managers of the Student Gallery (Room 236). Since then, a revitalized, energetic, and dedicated staff has maintained a full schedule of exhibitions during the fall and winter semesters including the Annual Juried Student Show.
Comprehensive Artistic Vision
The group members perceive art to be a form of non-specific aesthetic communication which is conveyed through a variety of media. The Student Gallery is a place for art students and other individuals to openly express themselves in a creative manner. In an effort to stimulate intellectual and personal growth, the Intermedia Gallery Group strives to expose students, faculty, staff, administration, and the community to diverse forms and styles of art.
Our Mission as part of a greater art community is to present exhibitions, happenings, activities, and other art-based educational programming which represent a wide range of media, cultures, and ideas. As defined, this permits for a great deal of flexibility to present a varied and lively program. Criteria for selecting pieces/exhibitions include artistic excellence, diversity of aesthetics, and attention to social and cultural contexts allowing for artists’ experimentation and growth and the educational potential of each. As part of our educational mission, we are in a unique position to explore challenging subjects and provide a not-for-profit venue for artists whose work may or may not be best suited to non-commercial spaces. IGG yields a broad and comprehensive artistic vision which embraces both the educational values of the university along with those of a diverse audience.
