Duo Impresses at New Show - Inside Art With Michael Rose

Duo Impresses at New Show - Inside Art With Michael Rose

Student artists form an important part of the local artistic community, and Rhode Island College is host to many of the most talented young makers in the state. On view now through January 18 at the Chazan Family Gallery at RIC, a current exhibition highlights the skills of two rising talents: printmaker Alia Del Borgo and sculptor Natalia Miller. These students have amassed striking bodies of work and the combination of the two makes for a lively exhibition that is not to be missed.

 

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Del Borgo and Miller’s exhibition, titled Physics and Physiques, features dueling methods that overlap in perspective and explore similar themes with in depth considerations of gender, labor, and the upending of preconceived notions found in art history. Del Borgo brings drawings and prints that leverage a variety of processes like monotype and intaglio. Miller is showing sculptures that blend industrial methods of making to create fine art installations. Steel, wood, and neon are combined to create works that form a vibrant and largescale counterpoint to Del Borgo’s intimate and finely detailed prints.

 

 

Describing the process behind her gritty and expansive sculptural works, Miller says, “The process of constructing my sculptures begins with material exploration and conceptual planning. For a piece like Pylon, the tower center of the exhibition, I focus on integrating industrial materials such as welded steel and neon lighting with conceptual elements like reflection. The structure's skeletal design is carefully planned to balance stability and abstraction. Each material, from the brick surrounding the reflective pool to the neon lights, is chosen to create a specific interaction with light and space. My process also involves experimenting with finishes and connections to ensure the materials communicate their raw industrial origins and a refined aesthetic. Every sculpture synthesizes craftsmanship and concept, requiring precise engineering alongside creative intuition to bring the form to life.”

 

Although still a student, Miller’s already been featured in a variety of exhibitions at venues like Cambridge Art Association, Inspiria Gallery, Badxfit Gallery, and in URI’s State Exhibition. Her co-exhibitor Del Borgo is equally experienced. An alum of RISD’s Project Open Door program, Del Borgo has already shown at RISD’s Woods-Gerry Gallery multiple times and has earned a number of awards for her work and dedication, including RIC’s Talent Award and Art League Rhode Island’s Iona Dobbins Award. Miller’s work is bold, Del Borgo’s is full of nuanced surfaces. Together, they allow viewers to engage in two different experiences of looking at art.

 

 

Asked about the processes she is showing off in the exhibition, artist Del Borgo answers, “Three distinct graphic processes are included in the show- Intaglio printmaking, monotypes, and drawings. I’m attracted to all three for their different senses of touch, and varied time commitments. While I’m working on a time-consuming drypoint print or tedious white pencil drawing- I turn to making reductive monotypes to churn out more experimental images quickly.”

 

The exhibition was self-curated by Miller and Del Borgo and shows off an acumen for displaying their work in addition to creating. Del Borgo’s works line one wall and are awash in light that allows appreciation for the small details, while Miller’s neon-infused sculptures are allowed to shine on their own. The Chazan Family Gallery is a great resource to these students and on a recent visit to the show they both spoke with great poise about their own work, as well as their experience and studies at RIC.

 

 

Considering what being part of RIC’s art community has meant to her, sculptor Miller responds, “Being part of the RIC art department has been a transformative experience. It has provided a supportive environment to explore ambitious ideas, refine technical skills, and push the boundaries of my creative practice. The guidance from my professors and collaboration with peers has been invaluable in shaping my voice and confidence in my art. The department has encouraged experimentation and fostered critical thinking necessary to develop conceptually rich and technically proficient work.”

 

 

Miller and Del Borgo, along with their peers at RIC, form the next generation of Rhode Island artists. Supporting these talents from the outset is incredibly important to cultivating a creative community where gifted individuals can thrive and build careers.

 

Asked what she hopes viewers take away from visiting the show, Del Borgo answers, “I hope seeing our work in a combined context clues people into the spectrum of creative possibilities that can happen here at the RIC art department. I also wish for the in-person experience of the pieces to inspire viewers to ask us questions about craft and concept, which are two fundamental factors of art making for Natalia and I.”

 

 

Learn more about printmaker Alia Del Borgo on Instagram at @aliadelborgo.

 

Learn more about sculptor Natalia Miller on Instagram at @natalia.m.arts.