By:Brianna Holcomb Arts and Entertainment Editor

My first reaction upon walking into Calkins FORM gallery was “Who decided to destroy the AT&T store and throw the pieces of the broken phones on the floor?” I was confused even further seeing the gorgeous photographs hanging on the wall in between Blackberry cell phones.

The complete contrast between the captured moments in the photographs and the destruction on the floor propelled me to walk through the gallery looking for answers.

I started with the photos on the wall picking a picture of a naked woman holding a champagne bottle. On the bottle, the words “the party starts here” were written in marker, as she held it to her mouth, her eyes averted from the camera.

This particular photograph interested me because, although she was not wearing any clothes, there was nothing sexual about the photo. Many naked pictures,especially of women, tend to come off as sexual or trying to over-sexualize the female body. This photograph was not the only one which caught my eye.

At the opposite end of the gallery was a picture of what looked like a mountain. The picture was in black and white, making every crack in its surface noticeable. Once I got closer to the picture, I realized it was in fact the stump of a tree. The detail in the photograph made this simple tree stump look as though it was on top of the world.

This attention to simplistic detail is what made sophomore Jordan Siem’s photographs so captivating. His work, entitled “Qualia,” can be found in Calkins FORM gallery .

If the pictures themselves do not grab your attention the reason behind the name of the gallery might. The word “Qualia” is a philosophical term which refers to the experiential properties of sensation - for example the “redness” of red.

Siem’s goal behind this gallery was to get the viewer to experience the gallery like one would experience something they love."I was inspired by a WSC2 course where much of the writing focused on how technology aids or diminishes everyday life… when I'm photographing in the street, I notice so many of [people] with their heads down, completely fixated on a small screen,” Siem said.

“ I feel the world has so much to offer and so many great experiences are to be had, but it seems people are becoming more comfortable with the convenience of technology,” said Siem. “I want people to realize there is always something new and interesting in their environment, it simply takes the effort to engage with it.”

Siem made the gallery an interactive experience as well. He placed a box of broken cell phones at one end of the gallery. On a chalkboard a message was written asking viewers to leave feedback. In most cases, the feedback would be placed in a box. However, Siem decided to allow his audience to drop the phones in the corners of the galleries floor.

The corners were scattered with broken phone pieces, making the gallery resemble a raided AT&T store.

This photography major has come up with a way to make his art not only viewable but relatable. The audience can become apart of the exhibit by giving feedback as well as putting down their technological device and simply enjoying what is around them.