By Jaida Dent
On May 6, the Brooklyn College Art Gallery held the opening ceremony for the MFA Thesis Exhibition, “Politics of Relation”. 13 artists composed the works that the gallery was covered in from a range of mediums: painting, sculpture, tapestry, photography, and videography.
While the title and theme of the show, “Politics of Relation”, may sound like an obscure idea, the exhibition’s curator, Professor Bentley Brown, sees it as the reality these artists will face.
According to the show’s description, displayed as soon as you enter the gallery, these artists had the job of “responding to a deeply fraught political atmosphere and an art world that appears unable to produce anything ‘new’.”
Through this exhibition, artists displayed topical work, not only in terms of what is going on socio-politically, but also personally, while breaking the norms of what is marketable to the art world.
“The idea of ‘Politics of Relation’ means that these artists are traversing a new landscape and sorting out their relationship to the wider forces in the world. Then, finding their place within this environment and their voice […] As an artist, you engage in politics of relation with all of the different forces, both external and internal, that influence your work, so that’s what the theme means,” said Brown.
Ariel Burke, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) student with a concentration in drawing and painting, uses her Caribbean heritage to inspire her work. Her piece, “Kadooment”, references the holiday Kadooment Day, which signifies the end of the Crop Over Festival in Barbados. The celebration includes a parade and costumes with feathers and bright colors. Burke recreated this through using beads, sequins, yarn, and fabric on a small structure. This piece also connects to the relationship Burke has with her grandmother, whom she would watch the parade with often.
This relationship is further shown in the piece, “Lili”. Burke described her grandmother, Lilian, as “a woman who would not leave home without a hat.” Within the piece, Burke uses colorful marbles that pop against the brown fabric base. More than that, the marbles represent the nostalgia of her childhood and the innocence she once had. The message of the piece is further cemented in the passing of Burke’s grandmother at the beginning of this year, serving as a greater memorial of her life and connection to Burke.
“Art was my way out of this depressing situation, and I used it to express myself. My artwork became a rebellion and [an] escape from my home life. The more I did, the better I felt,” said Burke.
Where Burke pulls from her heritage and familial relationships, Bennett Bailey, another artist and MFA student in the show, explores his gender identity within the showcase’s pieces.
“As a Black, trans man, I draw inspiration from my background and lived experiences to create art that is raw and grand, capturing harmony and chaos to reflect on the power of vulnerability in transformation,” said Bailey.
“Gnawing at Me”, Bailey’s piece, is more than just a gruesome skeleton, but a representation of himself. A self-portrait that is meant to look at his soul, rather than his physical body. “Best Friends” is a progression of Bailey’s identity, and finding a balance between the struggles and joys of self-discovery. “Family Dinner” stands out the most, not only in size but in content. While it is meant to emulate a family gathering, it actually speaks to characteristics of selflessness and selfishness, and wanting to satisfy individual goals. Bailey’s art balances an almost frightening perspective of the body while employing eye-catching colors that attract you deeper into the pieces.
“Art is how I best speak to and relate to people,” said Bailey. “My art doesn’t exist to reflect myself, but to connect with others by displaying my perspective on life, showing for unique exchange with the viewer.”
In curating the show, Brown worked with the students as they controlled the arrangement of their pieces. This method allowed students to learn how to trust themselves, an important skill for artists to have as they enter the professional world.
“Because when you start getting into the ‘art game’, you have to trust yourself because there’s going to be all these things that are going to make you feel like [you have] imposter syndrome, but you need to be like, ‘No, I know what I’m doing is really it,’” said Brown.
This method produced both cohesion and confidence that was felt throughout the exhibition. The students were able to share the responsibility of how their work and the work of their peers are represented in the show. In a collaboration between themselves and Professor Brown, students presented work that not only followed the theme but also pieces of art that they were proud to share. “So it was really a dialogue that helped to produce the cohesion of the work or of the show,” said Brown. “That’s why you see such a fluid and cohesive show, because of the intimacy of the dialogues between the artists and myself.”
The exhibition will be on view in the Art Gallery at 0400 Boylan Hall until June 24.