Michael Wolk introduced me to an unfinished clay sculpture of a lowland gorilla, the number 700 etched on the back of its skull. “There are only 700 left in the wild,” Wolk said.
The sculpture will be one of the 19 pieces of art on display at Wolk’s senior exhibit on March 12. Wolk is a NEIU art student and one of 12 students that will attend an Alternative Spring Break trip to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The purpose of the exhibit, which is a requirement for seniors in the art department, is to raise awareness of humanitarian issues.
Wolk’s art is inspired by social ills such as hunger, disease, war and environmental issues. He also has pieces that highlight the negative effects of globalization and capitalism. The art on display for the exhibit will all be untitled. Wolk said, “They’re untitled, so I don’t influence people’s views on the piece. I just want to demonstrate life through art.”
Although the exhibit is free to the NEIU campus community, Wolk will provide a donation jar. Students were asked to fundraise $200 to donate to a service project of their choice. Any proceeds will go to service projects during and after the Ciudad Juarez trip.
“This trip will expose us to a different way of life. And this is our way of giving back,” Wolk said. The spring break trip will focus on cultural immersion in the border town. However, students will be staying north of the border at a Women’s Intercultural Center in New Mexico. Wolk said, “I’m excited about the service project.” He plans to use the proceeds from his exhibit to build a vegetable garden at the Women’s Intercultural Center. He also said he would like to donate books and update their library. “Books have always been an escape for me. This is a way to provide an escape and build knowledge,” Wolk said.
Wolk began his work as an artist merely six months ago after an inspiring art class with NEIU Professor Santiago M. Vaca. Wolk is a Metal Work major but also sculpts and draws with charcoal, chalk, pastels and marker. He said, “The subjects are very important in my work. There’s not a lot of background noise.” But, he added, “my style changes a lot.”
Wolk hopes to contribute to a productive service project in the spring and to social awareness overall. The exhibit will take place on Mar. 12 from 6-8 p.m. on the second floor of the Fine Arts Building in the Upper Gallery. For more information or to contact the artist, email mjwolk@neiu.edu.