Opening reception to be held Friday, Oct. 26 from 4 to 6 p.m.
An art exhibition titled 'Unsung: Portraits of UNM School of Medicine Faculty' by Jack Melville will be on display beginning Friday, Oct. 26 through Monday, Nov. 30, 2007. The exhibition will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday on the Fifth Floor Art Gallery at UNM Hospital.
The unique art exhibition features UNM School of Medicine faculty. Pediatric cardiology staff member and exhibition guest curator Nancy Whalen will present a series of portraits of the "old guard" in a way to honor them while they are still active in campus life.
Melville decided to call the show "Unsung" because all of the faculty he painted were so modest about their accomplishments.
"They're heroic, in a way: They build a medical school from the ground up. They invented a new way of teaching medicine that is now internationally known. But they're not about that; they're very humble," said Melville.
It is important to note that this show was not commissioned by the Health Sciences Center, and that Melville has not received payment for his work. He was willing to commit to the project for the exposure and for the experience of working with the UNM faculty members he painted.
"I feel like I've grown as a person just from talking to them," he said.
The show's curators hope that some paintings will be sold to help compensate Melville for his time and talent. But Melville hopes the paintings will remain in the hospital where people can see them. "The show belongs on campus," he said. "It is part of the school's legacy."
For more information, contact Chris Fenton via e-mail at: cfenton@salud.unm.edu or by telephone, 272-9700.