Faculty-only event
Students in Babil question exclusion from fine arts exhibition
BABIL – Students from the Department of Fine Arts at Babil University have voiced their discontent after being excluded from the college’s annual exhibition, an event that traditionally showcases a wide array of artistic works.
This year, the exhibition, held in the Department of Fine Arts hall, was limited to displaying the creations of professors, including paintings, ceramics, and sculptures, featuring 64 artists, among them retired faculty members, each contributing a single piece.
The college dean explained that this exhibition was specifically designed for professors to showcase their artistry, with the intent for students to learn from their expertise.
Ahmed Murad, a fine arts student, expressed his frustration to 964media, stating, “We were taken aback when we were turned away at the exhibition’s opening, which was restricted to professors and invited guests only.”
Students are advocating for future exhibitions to be inclusive, allowing both faculty and students across different years to exhibit their work together, underscoring their belief in their own artistic capabilities, which they feel can compete with those of their professors.
Amer Sabah Al-Marzook, the Dean of the College of Fine Arts, elaborated on the exhibition’s purpose to 964media, saying, “The goal is to showcase the faculty’s talents for the educational advancement of students and for the appreciation of specialists who visited the exhibition.”
He highlighted the inclusion of adjunct faculty in the exhibition as a gesture of acknowledgment for their contribution to cultivating the next wave of artists and mentioned plans to take the exhibition to other venues featuring the same collection of works.
Al-Marzook reassured, “We are organizing other events for university day that will feature collaborations between faculty and students. This specific exhibition was set aside to honor faculty contributions, just as we have separate events dedicated exclusively to student works.”