An exhibition at Butler Community College celebrates the artistic and educational legacy of Lynn Havel
The Erman B. White Gallery of Art presents a memorial exhibit for Lynn Havel, its first director.
An art exhibition at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, exudes affection for Lynn Havel, the former head of Butler’s art department who died in May at the age of 78. Havel was instrumental in the founding of the college's Erman B. White Gallery and served as its first director.
“I approached the exhibit from a place of my own personal history with Lynn, which encompasses many different aspects of a of our relationship: student-teacher, colleagues, and lifelong friends,” said Valerie Haring, the dean of fine arts at Butler. A former student of Havel's, he later hired her as an adjunct instructor. She succeeded him as the head of Butler's art department after his retirement.
“I went at (the exhibition) with a sense of love,” Haring said. “I wanted to honor his legacy as a teacher.”
That intent is palpable. The exhibition, which includes some 40 works, includes pieces by former students of Havel's, personal ephemera, and detailed information about the different processes Havel used.
The educational text echoes Havel’s own approach to curation.
“He really treated the gallery like a learning lab, so I felt like the additional materials are a tribute to his idea of what the gallery should be," Haring said.
Haring traveled to Havel’s home in Gunnison, Colorado to pick up work for the exhibition, which also includes paintings and prints owned bxy Haring and other friends of the artist.
One of the most affecting pieces is a recreation of "Mr. Havel's" office door.
"Lynn, like many artists, didn’t throw much away," Haring said. "When he retired I inherited his office and a number of number of his personal files. I’ve held onto some of those things out of sentimentality."
A reception will be held at the gallery from 5-7:30 p.m. this Thursday (September 4). Remarks, including a video by Havel's former student Justin McClure of Justin McClure Creative, will begin at 6 p.m. The exhibition is on view through September 17.
Butler is accepting donations for the Lynn Havel Art Scholarship.
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