A series of collaborative art projects are being placed on campus by students in Totem

Shriver’s studio practices class. The latest sculpture, nearly 10-feet tall, is on display in front of

the Miller Fine Arts building.

It consists of several large panels, painted by students in the class, attached to three large

cubes. “One thing that’s interesting about this project is that it has form as well as function. The

fact that I am going to live in it is pretty interesting,” said Shriver. Shriver plans to haul this

structure to the burning man festival and live in it until the last day of the festival

It may also be used as a prop in the Alien Daze Parade later this month. “This project is

meant to be art for public consumption instead of something that just stays in the studio,” said

Shriver. Shriver encourages people to walk inside of the sculpture and to interact with it.

“We put stuff like this up around campus, but no one really knows why,” says Lindsay

Scott. “We do it for all the students. We want them to check them out and come and play.”

The collaboration projects also help students learn how to work with others. “Sometimes

it can be really hard because some people have really strong ideas,” said Lindsay, “but I think

working collaboratively really challenges you to be able to take an idea you have and be willing

to mold it into something everyone can hold on to.”

Junior and studio art major, Ivan Colin, comments on working collaboratively with the

class, “At times it’s difficult to come up with a consensus, but it forces you to all have a vision

together. With individual work, your personal work is more evident, but working with others,

your work turns into play.”

Shriver says that working collaboratively is one of the biggest challenges, but also one of

the most necessary. “Your always going to be a part of society and we are always going to be

dependent on other people.” Said Shriver. “Also, I think greater things can be achieved through

many people instead of one—and that’s a good lesson to learn.”

“I think as artists, working with other artists, you can get a lot of different view-points

that don’t agree, but in this class we didn’t really have anyone butting-heads. We just had a lot of

ideas working together,” said Louie Deraita “We really enhanced each others’ work.”