Hyder’s ‘Lost World’ exhibit on display in Art Museum

By Jen McShane
Collegian Staff
April 18, 2007

Standing in the La Salle Art Museum among green leaves and patches of light from the sun may seem like a trip to the rainforest. In reality, this is the new art exhibit by Frank Hyder.

Hyder is a contemporary artist who works in a variety of different mediums. In 2000, Hyder went to Venezuela on a Senior Fulbright Fellowship, where he worked and studied for an entire year. During his stay in Venezuela, Hyder visited the rainforests of the area. These trips to the rainforests offered Hyder the inspiration for his newest art exhibit “Lost World,” which is now on display in the La Salle Art Museum, located in the basement of Olney Hall.

Hyder, in conjunction with Madeleine Viljoen, La Salle Art Museum curator and director, as well as the entire Art Museum staff have managed to create a rainforest

“The idea was to evoke the feel of a rainforest, while at the same time become aware of the environment and how fragile the world really is,” Viljoen said.

Viljoen explained how Hyder’s famous exhibit came to stay at La Salle for awhile.

“We received a generous donation from a private collector which included one of Hyder’s paintings, The Hopeful, which is a permanent piece in the museum,” Viljoen said. “It was after this that we decided to do something focusing on his work.”

La Salle then approached Hyder, who agreed to showcase his paintings at La Salle.

According to Mary Morrow-Farrell, Art Museum assistant, Hyder came to La Salle on two separate Tuesdays to set up the exhibit.

“It was thrilling to meet the artist. I remember he had his son here helping him,” Morrow-Farell said.

What makes “Lost World” so unique is the actual feel one gets from being in the exhibit room. The entire room is part of the exhibit. Viljoen describes it as “living artwork” where the whole room almost becomes part of the canvas.

“We’ve never done something like this before,” Viljoen said. “This is more like an installation than an exhibit. It actually takes over the space.”

This is certainly true for “Lost World,” where the walls are covered in shiny green leaf paintings and a CD plays rainforest sounds.

Hyder uses brilliant colors in his artwork, as well as wood, which takes the place of canvas. All of the artwork in “Lost World” has a shiny look to it, making the painting appear wet as in a rainforest.

“He first uses a gold leaf, then paints and adds a glaze to achieve that wet look,” Viljoen said.

Frank Hyder returned to La Salle Tuesday, April 17 to speak with Art History classes. The “Lost World” installation will stay in the Art Museum until June 15, 2007. During that time, Viljoen hopes that La Salle students visit the “Lost World.”

“It shows the importance of caring and being curious about the environment, yet, at the same time, appreciating its beauty and realizing how it all could disappear,” Viljoen said.

mcshanej2@lasalle.edu