Don’t assume today’s dorm decor is limited to posters tacked onto the walls.
The University of California, Berkeley, lets students borrow, at no charge, framed paintings and artwork that school officials collected specifically for this purpose. Featured artists include the famous, like Marc Chagall and Edvard Munch, as well as emerging ones.
Students may check out two original, ready-to-hang prints, which also include lithographs and etchings, for a semester and renew them for a second one. UC Berkeley’s Morrison Library houses about 700 works in the art loan program. Each piece is valued at $600 or less, officials say.
Supporters say it increases art appreciation, especially among those who can least afford to buy. Critics say renters could accidentally damage the work beyond repair.
Faculty and staff also have the same check-out privileges, but only student customers were allowed for the first week when loans began this semester, officials say.
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