The Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Visual Arts at Princeton University will present “BENCH,” a multimedia project and exhibition by senior Christopher St. John. The project studies the effects of projection, seating and spaces within a contemporary gallery. The work will be on exhibit February 16 through 20, however showings that include all elements of the installation will be offered on February 16, 17, 19 and 20 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. A reception will be held on February 19 from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. The exhibition and showings will be in the Lucas Gallery at 185 Nassau Street and are free and open to the public.

St. John is majoring in visual arts through a collaborative program between Princeton’s Department of Art and Archaeology and the Lewis Center’s Program in Visual Arts, which enables students to focus on studio practice. The Wayne, Pennsylvania native has explored a range of media within the courses he has taken and received a Summer Research Award in Visual Arts from the Lewis Center last year.

With the summer funding, St. John traveled throughout Europe visiting museums and galleries. While spending time in these venues, he was repeatedly intrigued by how benches meant for seating define the gallery space. He was also often frustrated by the presence and use of seating within the gallery spaces. His observation is that the benches often prevent or hamper a viewer’s engagement with the art. “If someone is sitting on a bench in the middle of a gallery space,” he explains, “I feel a need to stay out of their line of vision to the work, and that impacts my experience in viewing the work.”

His installation in the gallery will deconstruct the gallery experience and offer visitors an opportunity to visit both a gallery with the singular purpose of viewing artwork without the impingement of seating and a separate space for rest and contemplation.

The Lucas Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.