Browse the Collection by Theme
Are you hoping to explore a specific topic, theme, or kind of art in the GVSU Art Collection? Do your students need to use visuals related to a specific theme for their studies? Browse by Theme provides new pathways to explore the second-largest public art collection in Michigan!
We will continue to add themes to explore over time.
Want to suggest a theme for us to include? Let us know what you think we need to include here!
The first digital computer was completed in 1945, and it didn’t take long for people to begin experimenting with this new technology in an artistic way. The first moving image was created in 1954, and by the 1960s, artists were experimenting with creative coding. Even Salvador Dali, a famous Surrealist artist, utilized digital programs to create his work. In just 75 years, digital art has undergone a significant expansion in definition, encompassing digital photography, artwork created through digital programs, and now images generated by computer programs.
Corey Anton, Robot Artist #7, Stable Diffusion 2.1 Digital Print on Baryta, 2023, 2024.5.1.
Jonathan Thunder, Head in the Clouds, acrylic and spray paint on canvas, 2021, 2025.25.1a.
Black artists explore art from varying perspectives, ranging from landscapes, portraiture, artwork that reflects the Black American experience, and artwork that reflects only their thoughts and ideas. Explore some of the contemporary Black Michigan artists who are enriching the art scene of our state.
Jaylei Art, Hirundo Soul, acrylic on canvas, 2023.41.1.
Sheefy McFly, 7 Day Theory, mixed media on canvas, 2022, 2023.19.7.
Artists have been creating art that reflects the world around them for centuries. Some artists chose to idealize the world around them, while others chose to portray an imaginary world. Increasingly, contemporary artists are creating artwork focusing not only on how our environment looks, but also how humankind affects the environment – both positively and negatively. Through art, powerful messages about the future of humankind can be relayed.
Jim Nieboer, Michigan Landscape, pinhole photograph, 1998, 1998.361.1.
Georgia Roswell, Hot Yellowstone #3, recycled textiles, acrylic paint, matte medium on wood, 2013, 2014.118.1.
The GVSU Art Collection includes artwork by Jewish artists exploring their relation to the Holocaust, non-Jewish artists who lived under Nazi rule, and contemporary artists who still seek to process this time in our recent history. In this theme, you will find examples of artwork that relate to the Holocaust and other genocides. Please take care when exploring this section.
Gloria Baker Feinstein, Execution Wall, Dachau, Germany, carbon piezo print, 2001, 2004.234.1.
Leonard Baskin, Man of Peace, woodcut, 1952, 2017.48.1.
There are stories everywhere. Humans have been creating stories since the dawn of our existence, even if those stories are now lost to us. We know this and can see visual representations of these stories through cave paintings, rock carvings, sculptures, temple decorations, weavings, and more. Storytelling is a natural human function – to make meaning, to share warnings, to express joy. Artists have been a fundamental part of the storyteller’s circle – portraying characters, painting scenes, and showing action. Explore examples of storytelling and illustration in the GVSU Art Museum collection.
BreeAnn Veenstra, The Ceryneian Hind, pen and ink on digital print, 2008, 2009.99.1a.
Stephanie Mills, Chocolate Cake, oil on canvas, 2009, 2009.61.1.
Landscape art is generally defined as art that depicts a natural scene. For many artists, landscapes are among the first subjects of study. Landscapes can be used as a historical reference for how the world around us changes, both due to natural occurrences and human-driven interventions. Every culture views landscapes differently – to idealize, to propagandize, to historicize, to admire – and each work must be treated individually to understand the context that lies behind its creation.
Armand Merizon, North Country, acrylic on canvas board, 2008, 2021.1.13.
Mathias Alten, Workers in a Field, oil on canvas, 1916, 2007.603.1.
Latinx culture is so extensive and has become such an integral part of American culture that what it means to “be Latinx” in the United States is indistinct and ever-changing. Like all artists, Latinx artists create artwork that reflects their personal beliefs, experiences, concerns, cultures, ideals, and dreams.
Alynn Guerra, Sacred Corn, linoleum print, circa 2008, 2009.40.1.
Hugo Claudin, Untitled, acrylic on canvas, 2007, 2015.67.1.
In visual art, both the creation of and viewing of artwork is beneficial for mental health and wellness. Through this theme, you can explore artwork related to themes of resilience, depression, anxiety, body image, art therapy, and more. There are also suggestions on how art-making can help alleviate stress for students.
Learn more about Mental Health in art
Katherine Williams, Entangled, digital painting, 2020, 2021.9.3.
Kate Malburg, Mental Illness, digital photograph, 2018, 2019.44.3.
In the broadest sense, mythology means a collection of stories, and every culture around the world has their own mythology. Ancient mythologies provided explanations of how the world was created, cautionary tales, when to harvest, and who to turn to in times of need. These important cultural stories still resonate with the contemporary world, through worship, literary and film references, and even cosplay. Artists continue to be inspired by these stories and interpret them in new ways to this day.
Margaret Stanley, Yemaya, printed and appliqué fabrics, 1991, 2004.035.1.
Madeline Devantier, Hermes, screenprint, 2024, 2025.39.15.
With several majors related to health sciences, the GVSU art collection holds works in all media related to physical health and well-being.
Ann Baddeley Keister, Interiors / Milagros, mixed media, 2003, 2003.304.1a.
Ed Wong-Ligda, Jocelyn Arranging Her Legs, oil on canvas, 2012, 2018.3.1.