By Rhea Lynne M. Guzman
Pablo Picasso once said, “Art is a lie that makes us see the truth.” Since the beginning of the semester, Gormely Gallery on the second floor of Fourier Hall has been adorned by the artwork of Rania Hassan. In her artist statement, she writes, “I am fascinated by the connections in our everyday experiences.” Through her skills of painting and weaving, Hassan expresses her idea that somehow all things are connected. As all art does, Hassan’s work sends a variety of messages to her audience.
Passing by Rania Hassan’s artwork almost every day for her Art 101 class, a first-year psychology major Elizabeth Grasso became fascinated by the symbolism in her work She says, “When I first saw it, I thought it looked very abstract. It kind of reminded me of Rumpelstiltskin because the mouths appear to represent lies and the strings are being spun into gold.”
Meanwhile, Shaunice White, a sophomore who is double majoring in digital media arts and marketing communications, has a different perspective. She explains, “Each time you open your mouth, the words you say turn to gold. If you never open your mouth, you never get that chance.”
As a part of Notre Dame’s Art Department, Professor Raines sees the gallery as a way to teach his Art 101 class about critiquing and discovering the artist’s intention. He points out that it is clear that the artist feels connected to the universe, which she expresses in her weaving.” Relating it back to what he teaches in his class, he says, “The artist forces us to look at space.”
As Pablo Picasso said, art teaches people to see the truth, and many in the Notre Dame community agrees that Rania Hassan’s artwork has expressed the truth about connectedness in the world.
NDMU Student Media 
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