Connecticut is home to an incredible array of art museums—from stunning contemporary work to spaces dedicated to the impressionist movement; the state is a treasure for seasoned art lovers and first-time museum-goers alike.
One particular museum in Bridgeport holds an eclectic array of pieces—from Picasso's work to portrait photographs taken by Andy Warhol to silk tapestries from 18th-century France—so those who find themselves in the space never know what they might see.
At any given moment, these works are also surrounded by about 4,000 students, staff and faculty because this museum is part of Connecticut State Community College Housatonic.
A collection from friends and strangers
The Housatonic Museum of Art was started by visual artist Burt Chernow, chairman of the college’s art department and professor of art and art history in the 1960s. There, he decided to create an art museum.
“He felt really strongly that every student that comes on our campus should see artwork every day,” said museum curator Charlotte Lefland. “So he sort of started asking friends, artists that he knew, artists that he didn't know, just cold calling them and saying, 'Hey, I'm starting this museum. Do you want to give a piece to it?'"
And the museum grew from there. Lefland said within its first year, a few hundred pieces had already been donated. Now, nearly 60 years after its founding, the museum holds about 7,000 objects.
According to Lefland, 20% of that collection is on view at any given time. Considering the percentage other similar-sized museums show usually hovers between 2% to 5%, that number raises eyebrows.
That number isn’t so high because the museum has endless gallery space or because pieces are crammed within inches of each other. Rather, nearly a fifth of the collection is available to see because it’s displayed across the entire school.
“We consider the whole campus our museum,” said Jennifer Reynolds-Kaye, who directs the museum. “We have our sculpture courtyard. There are paintings in hallways, shared academic spaces, and faculty offices, in addition to our main galleries.”
According to Reynolds-Kaye, it isn’t the norm to hang the type of artwork the museum has in hallways and let sculptures sit near office entrances. And some accidents do happen—backpacks bump pieces, artwork gets brushed by coats—but that’s how access to art grows.
“We're here for learners of all ages, all stages. We have everyone from high school students to senior citizens,” she said. “They're passing art every day, and that doesn't happen at a lot of four-year colleges… You may see portraits of presidents, but you won't necessarily see the world-class caliber that you see on this campus.”
Art all around
Students know their campus looks different than what might be expected – whether they’re art fans or not. Simon Hardison, 21, is getting his associate's degree at Housatonic in software development. He said he doesn’t know much about art, but he appreciates seeing it every day.
“The soul of this place is the art. When you walk in… it's just the main thing, the main piece, to me, at least,” he said.
“I've never been around this much art before. I think it's pretty unique to all different types of people, cultures, backgrounds, things of that nature.”
Tania Alfonso, 30, is another student at the community college. Getting her associates in visual art, she’s heavily interested in what she sees on the walls on her campus. In fact, it’s a major reason she chose to come to this school.
“The biggest thing that attracted me to Housatonic was their art collection,” Alfonso said. “Especially for an art major, you know, you're like, you see someone's accomplished work, and you think, 'I can get there someday.'”
Alfonso always knew she wanted to get her degree, even though she didn’t do too well in high school. It took her a few years to figure it out, but she said she’s glad she chose to pursue her education in the environment she found at Housatonic. Being surrounded by artwork and volunteering at the museum makes her feel more than inspired and supported—it makes her feel special.
“I feel very privileged,” she said. “Honestly, it's really – it's a little overwhelming when you're walking down the hall and you want to stop and just stare at this piece of artwork… It's just a huge privilege.”
Privilege in the world of art is often built around exclusivity—to be one of the few to view a piece or the only one to own it is privileged, and to see an exhibit before it opens is privileged. Privilege isn’t usually reserved for a space like community college—somewhere inclusive by definition.
But Alfonso flips the idea of privilege in the arts on its head. She feels this way because she is part of the effort to create more access to art.
“You don't have to exclude people to feel special. I think what makes it special is all the people that are involved in the community,” she said. “Our museum spills out into the rest of the city, and the city spills out into the museum, and it just creates this wonderful sense of community and accessibility for art.”
Community in the classroom
The dedicated gallery space at the college often features local artists, pulling the community into the art space by highlighting work from within it. Currently featured is Iyaba Ibo Mandingo, a multimedia artist who grew up in Stamford after immigrating from Antigua to the West Indies. Over sixty paintings that line the walls of the space comprise Arwe Journey: Twentieth-Century Afri-Caribbean Migration. More paintings and sculptures accompany the series.
He said it’s an honor to show his work at the Housatonic Museum of Art at the college.
“I know pound for pound, this collection here can go up against any other collection in the country, from MoMA to the Met… So when Jennifer approaches me, this instantly goes into high points of career mode,” Mandingo said.
Mandingo has made art since he was encouraged by a mentor to pursue it. As a seventh grader, he had moved to the United States a few years prior and was still getting teased – for his complexion, accent, and features. His art teacher gave him confidence in his art and in himself. Now, whenever he hears that a class from the college will be coming through the gallery, he makes sure to be there to pass it forward.
“I'm coming because I want to come. Because I am completely aware of the continuum that's happening right before my eyes here.”
Karen Smith teaches English at the college, and brings her students to the gallery every semester as a part of their capstone research project.
“It's hard to find a subject where students can really see themselves or find something they're interested in to write about because to write a successful research essay… you’ve got to be interested in your topic,” she said. “And so with the art museum, it's been this really great venue for me to bring the students in and say, 'Let's develop some questions about what's on the walls in front of us.'"
Smith explained that the visual component of the gallery in the writing process helps many students find topics to write about or identify with. This past semester, the experience of meeting with, talking to, and brainstorming about the art alongside the actual artist was incredibly uplifting for her students. They gained a new academic mentor from an artist and fellow community member.
“He connected with them on a level that was just, it was amazing,” she said. “Not just as people, but as citizens of an intellectual, scholarly community. Because that's what this is.”
Between artists like Mandingo, staff and faculty like Lefland, Reynolds-Kaye, and Smith, and the art lining the walls, students of all backgrounds at CT State Community College Housatonic are encouraged to take their passions further – past stereotypes, past labels, and even past their time at college.
