Two dimensional and three dimensional art work allows a wide range for students’ self expression to run wild.

Diablo Valley College’s new ‘Tension’ Art Gallery, which is up for student observation from Feb. 1 through Feb. 23, plays with the concept of dimensions and how they effect our reality.

Students created the 3-D work in Hopi Breton’s Art 138/139 Sculpture I and II class, while the 2-D work was created in Leo Bersamina’s Art 128/129 Painting Concepts, Theme Development, & Abstraction class. These classes focus on self expression, exploration and imagination of historical and cultural significance.

The art department emphasizes that the gallery is their department’s learning laboratory. It provides a crucial opportunity to apply principles taught in the classroom to a real-world context, allowing students to gain practice in the professional world of art exhibition, curation, installation, and criticism.

The pieces featured in the show are abstract and modern art, with the way they used different types of materials such as glass, metal, and dull colors. The colors are vibrant only when raw materials were used.

“The theme for this show is the visual tension that is shown when combining 2-D and 3-D materials, like the work featured in the show poster,” said Art Gallery Coordinator Arthur King.

What makes these pieces presented so distinctive and special is that they were all hand crafted and painted, not made in a factory or purchased at a local strip mall. Each work demonstrates well put time and effort from DVC students, and their individual artistic style and ideas.

“Each work is uniquely crafted through each students understanding of those historical art trends and concepts, making this show just as special and thoughtful as all of our other shows,” said King.

The gallery, located in room A-305, is open from Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m-4 p.m. and Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.