MSU NOTSTOCK Festival puts art in the hands of the community

MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) - It has been said that art is an experience, not an object. That is what MSU NOTSTOCK is all about.

This festival brings participatory art to students, faculty and the greater Minot community each year.

Every year since 2007, event organizers Bill Harbort and Laurie Geller have pulled out all the stops for NOTSTOCK.

They said they want to expose students to different cultures from around the world.

You can find the work of artist Piotr Szyhalski at the Northwest Art Center.

Szyhalski is originally from Poland and is a printmaker, new media artist and designer.

According to Northwest Arts Center Director Greg Vettel, a lot of Szyhalski‘s work is steeped in activism, resistance, propaganda and design history.

This year’s exhibition is entitled “Labor Camp” and it includes posters Szyhalski created while in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You might not have a connection to every poster, you might not feel what each poster is saying, but there is likely one in there that you will relate to because of this shared experience that everybody went through in 2020,” said Vettel.

Geller said that her favorite part of NOTSTOCK is giving guests the opportunity to experience the wonder behind creating art.

She also said to resist feeling self-conscious.

“Once you start making, you’ll forget about all of that. And then that’s where that sense of like, ‘Look what I made!’ Of holding that up to somebody else and feeling like you’ve participated in creating something,” said Geller.

Harbort said Szyhalski’s large banner concept is at the heart of invention and collaboration.

MSU students will get the opportunity to stamp a statement they’ve developed together in their classes to share with everyone on campus.

The banner will be held up by participating students in front of Old Main on Friday.

“The banner is going to be printed inside the Northwest Arts Center with raised letters that are going to be inked. So if you imagine a large rubber stamp type of concept,” said Harbort.

Showcasing art from all over the world to students in the Magic City.

Harbort said that more than 500 students from counties far and wide will come to participate in NOTSTOCK activities.

The festival will begin Thursday morning and runs through Saturday.

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