See Peru through WSU students' art

Universe City will be hosting a poetry reading by Weber State University students tonight at 7 pm. The poetry reading is accompanying the art being shown by other WSU students who went with the class to Peru. The WSU foreign language department generally offers two study-abroad trips per year. Last spring, students from WSU spent the semester studying abroad in Peru. Alicia Giralt, a WSU Spanish professor, and Jim Jacobs, a WSU professor and the chair of Visual Arts Department, accompanied the students to Peru. "The idea is that students get to know the culture of the country," Giralt said. "Language is only the first step to get into the culture." The highlight of Friday night will be the English, Spanish and Bilingual poems and short stories that will be read by the WSU authors. There will also be a short period where students will play musical instruments they purchased in Peru, and light refreshments will be served. Students were asked to create a presentation based on their reactions and studies while in Peru. Some students did reports on economics, others took photos, and some wrote poetry and short stories. "The way that the country impacts you is different," Giralt said. "A person may see something and be moved to create a poem, or to take a picture, or to write a story. It depends on the type of creativity that you have." The exhibit opened last Friday in conjunction with the First Friday Art Stroll in downtown Ogden, which is held the first Friday of every month. Universe City tries to open a new exhibit every month in conjunction with the Art Stroll. Universe City is a privately funded art gallery located in downtown Ogden that attempts to supplement arts and humanities in Ogden city. The facility shows new exhibits every month including photographs, art, costumes, reading theatres, poetry readings and other pieces. Benjamin Jennings runs Universe City with his mother Caril Jennings, the marketing director for the WSU Department of Performing Arts. "We try to coordinate as much as possible with Weber State," Benjamin Jennings said, "and we try to tie the gallery with the community." Giralt said Caril Jennings is doing a wonderful service to the community in opening the gallery to WSU students. "People in the community will not come to the university," Giralt said, "and having the exhibit downtown is a way to bridge the gap between the community and the university." Universe City is located at 2556 Washington Blvd. in Ogden. The exhibit is available for viewing October 10, 11, 17 and 18. Gallery hours are Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturdays from 12 to 8 p.m. Individual and group viewings are also available. To schedule a private viewing, call Caril Jennings at (801) 458-8959.