We wanted to do something highlighting the work of a Black woman artist as that population is the most underrepresented in galleries 和 museums.
Dr. 乔纳森Shirl和 challenges students to think like professionals by writing proposals to bring art to campus.
The assignment has been an integral part of his Women in the Visual 艺术 class, but a recent proposal on unique collages created by artist Lavett Ballard led to an actual exhibit reaching a much broader audience.
“We wanted to do something highlighting the work of a Black woman artist as that population is the most underrepresented in galleries 和 museums,” 艺术历史 主要 Elizabeth Ezekiel, ’23, who co-wrote the proposal about Ballard 和 became the exhibit’s assistant curator.
Ballard’s collages, some of which are on display in Bridgewater State University’s Anderson Gallery through Feb. 10, include images 和 newspaper headlines of historic events, such as the Montgomery bus boycott. She also incorporates pictures of famous 和 everyday members of the African diaspora. Ballard often uses sections of fence or other reclaimed wood. Fences, her work posits, are like racial 和 gender identities in that they confine 和 exclude.
The exhibit became a reality after Jay块, BSU’s associate director of collections 和 exhibitions, saw potential in the proposal written by Elizabeth, 玛雅Boivin, 梅勒妮Marhefka, 本杰明•马托斯 和 艾琳·威廉姆斯.
“I’ve always been a proponent of students having more say on campus 和 more say about the art,布洛克说。, who offers feedback on all proposals written by Shirl和’s students. “This one was absolutely professional 和 spot on.”
As assistant curator, Elizabeth worked side by side with Block. She interviewed Ballard, wrote an essay about the art, 和 helped set up the exhibit.
“Getting to see the full breadth of this process has changed my career path,伊丽莎白说, who aspires to attend graduate school 和 become a curatorial researcher for a museum. “This was so monumental for me.”
While the exhibit highlights racial justice, Shirl和 helps students explore art addressing many contemporary topics, including LGBTQ rights 和 mental health.
The proposal assignment “is deliberately designed so students can find 和 make a compelling case for whatever issue is most urgent to them,” the associate art professor said.
Ballard appreciates how BSU students have the freedom to explore artists like herself.
“I look back to my young high school 和 college days, 和 the artists didn’t look like me,巴拉德说. “To be able to say that my work … impacted these students so much, it was really cool 和 humbling.”
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