Cal U exhibit explores caves
They’re dark and mysterious. “Caves: A Fragile Wilderness’ is the latest exhibition being offered by California University of Pennsylvania from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES). Offered free to the public, the exhibition is housed in the Manderino Gallery of Fine Art on the third floor of the Louis L. Manderino Library and runs through Feb. 10.
It offers a breathtaking look inside caves from throughout the United States as well as countries such as Greenland, Romania, France, Malaysia, Japan, Australia and Jamaica.
The exhibition features 39 color photographs taken by members of the National Speleological Society and was developed by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
The names of the photos tell some of the story, such as “Misty Rappel,’ “Under the Glacier’ and Crystal Chandelier.’ But these photos are meant to be seen. They show the depth and darkness and the incredible formations found underground.
And don’t forget the animals – some of which have never seen the light of day.
“I think it’s incredible that things like this exist in nature and people are bold enough to explore them,’ said graduate student Walt Czekaj as he took a recent walk through the gallery.
Czekaj works with Timothy M. Buchanan, executive director of special initiatives for California University, who is working with the Smithsonian Institution.
“I’m a spelunker and I’m fascinated with caves,’ Buchanan said of his interest in the show.
Equally awed is Dr. Angelo Armenti Jr., university president, who also toured the newly opened show and offered his opinion.
“I’m very impressed,’ Armenti said. “The Smithsonian is world class and does beautiful work. I’m glad we’re able to share it.’
In fact, Buchanan credits Armenti with the ability to offer such shows, noting it is part of Armenti’s community outreach initiative and vision for the university.
Armenti explained when he came into office in 1992, he learned that many university students had never been to Pittsburgh to visit museums, listen to concerts or see shows.
“We came up with the idea of bringing these things here,’ he said.
That led to the creation of the Manderino Gallery, which was built in conjunction with the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh and features climate control and high security. Armenti recalled its construction as well as Buchanan’s work to line up quality exhibitions for the gallery.
Since the beginning of this academic year, California University has hosted a SITES exhibition called “Booming Out: Mohawk Ironworkers Build New York,’ a private art exhibition called “Reflections on Southern Living’ from one of the top 40 businesses in the world for corporate art collections, and the SITES show called “A Magic Web: The Tropical Forest of Barro Colorado Island.’ The exhibitions feature a mix of art, history, culture and ecology.
They also are attracting visitors.
“Since September, we’ve had almost 1,000 public and home school students see the exhibitions,’ said Buchanan.
Armenti, who noted the university also has brought the Pittsburgh Symphony to California for the past 14 years, said that local schools are going to continue to be notified about upcoming gallery shows, such as “Earth From Space,’ a SITES exhibition that will be shown in the spring of 2009. University staff members work with the schools to provide the best experience possible, including curriculum guides when available.
In addition to students, community groups from churches, clubs and organizations are making it a point to see these shows.
Buchanan noted that local ironworkers and their families came to see “Booming Out’ and that members from caving organizations from Pennsylvania and West Virginia will be visiting “Caves.’
Douglas A. Hoover, dean of library services for the Louis L. Manderino Library, said, “We are proud to host the Manderino Gallery of Fine Art. It’s a great boon to the region and to us. We proudly stand back and let Tim do the work.’
He added, “Every time I see an exhibit, I think it can’t get any better and then I see the next one and it floors me.’
“Caves’ has been viewed as just as fascinating.
A placard for the show explains, “Caves are the world’s most remote – and most fragile – wilderness. Caves provide essential habitats for unique plants and animals, some of which spend their entire lives in a dark, underground world. …Caves are found in every state in the United States as well as in most countries in the world. They come in all sizes and shapes and degrees of decoration. Some are wet and some are dry. And no two are the same.’
The exhibition is divided into four sections: “Entrances,’ “Passages,’ “Formations’ and “Life.’ They show people descending into the mysterious underground world, whether they be underground, underwater or filled with ice.
The exhibition notes, “Caves, however, are endangered by human activities both under and above ground. Carelessness, ignorance as well as intentional vandalism can quickly – and permanently – damage a cave, its formations, its environment, and the plants and animals that live in it. Once destroyed, a cave and its contents cannot be recovered.’
The exhibition also educates visitors about the National Speleological Society, which is the world’s largest caving organization with more than 12,000 members in 180 chapters in the United States and abroad. And the exhibition notes the National Museum of Natural History is dedicated to maintaining and preserving the world’s most extensive collection of natural history specimens and human artifacts. It also fosters critical scientific research as well as educational programs and exhibitions that present the work of its scientists and curators to the public.
The exhibition is arranged at California University with small displays of books on caves and caving from the Manderino Library.
Buchanan noted, “We discovered that people are checking out books related to the exhibits.’
A DVD called “Caves and Caverns of Pennsylvania’ also will be running just outside the gallery during gallery hours and materials for local caves and caverns will also be available.
The Manderino Gallery of Fine Art is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, 2 to 6 p.m. on Sundays and is closed on Fridays. For more information on “Caves’ and scheduling group tours, call 724-938-5887.