Rivers Artists Get Political for Lesley Exhibit
Nine Rivers artists accepted the creative challenge of the recent exhibition at Lesley University, entitled “(All) Art is Political (!?!),” and submitted thought-provoking pieces in a medium of their choice. The exhibit, featuring student work from 17 independent schools, including Middlesex, Milton, Winsor, Governor’s, BB&N, Nobles, St. Mark’s, and Brooks, runs through December 17.
Students were asked to interpret the theme of the exhibit which was co-organized by Lesley University College of Art and Design and the Art Association of New England Preparatory Schools (AANEPS), and is open daily at the Raizes Gallery in the Lunder Arts Center, 1801 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge.
The following students are represented: Lauren Barich ’20, “When Will it End?”; Maddie Cornetta ’19, “Soul Through Open Eyes”; Matt Cronin ’19, “Identity Prism”; Abby Deneen ’19, “Trapped”; Caleb Leeming ’19, “Impaired”; Colette Meier ’19, “Sins of the Flesh”; Joelle Mentis ’18, “Fading Away”; Maggie Monaghan ’19, “Strength in Numbers”; and Ryan Rahbany ’20, “Consequences”.
“We are pleased with this collaboration between AANEPS & LUCAD as another way to showcase our students’ diverse and creative expression via drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, and sculpture,” said Visual Art Department Chair David Saul.
The topics the students chose to depict covered a wide range of social issues, from women’s rights and eating disorders to drunk driving and gun control. In the artist statements that accompanied the submissions, the students shared their perspectives, which ranged from intensely personal to global in scope and impact.
“This composition is a different take on the American flag,” commented Lauren Barach in her statement. “The center of my work is a man holding assault weapons looking down…It is unacceptable that so many guns are smuggled and sold on the black market and even the legal selling of guns is not strict enough as people who are mentally unstable have been able to purchase guns. Without serious action by the legislature or even the President, there will be no change.”
Caleb Leeming noted, “Phones are very helpful for many circumstances, like for communication and information, but when it gets to the point where people feel like they need their phones and don’t know what to do without them, it becomes unhealthy.”
In discussing her piece, Maddie Cornetta said: “Eyes are often perceived as the ‘windows to the soul,’ a soul composed of each person’s unique characteristics of their identity. As seen in the painting, both the Iraqi woman and the American woman share one pair of eyes, representative of the similar traits between the two women. Despite each difference they may have in their intersectionality, they should be treated the same.”
Maggie Monaghan summed up both her piece and the impact of an exhibit like this: “When members of a community listen to others’ perspectives, the community is strengthened. Just as there is often a majority of people who don’t listen, there is a very strong community inside who are working together. By listening and being an ally, not only does one help others, but he/she also give themselves an amazing opportunity to broaden their perspectives and be part of many driven and inspiring communities.”
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