Lights! Action! Art! - Images of "Noises Off" Concepts and MLK's "I Have a Dream" Speech

Opening Celebration of Student Art: West Wing Gallery of the Karen Sprague Cultural Arts Center, November 27th, 2018 from 11:00 am to 12:15.  Refreshments will be served.  You are invited to join us!

This exhibition connects the Visual and Digital Arts program with the Theater Arts program as students created art that represents concepts from the play  "Noises Off".  Performance dates for the play: Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 2, 2018 at 2 p.m. 

Noises Off Concept:
Performance by Olivier Georges

Noises Off Concept:
Frustration by Don Drew

Student artists also read Dr. Martin Luther King Junior's speech "I Have a Dream" and then created art based on the imagery Dr. King painted with his powerful words.  And, some photography students explored the question: Are Photographs Truth?

COM major Ketirah Felder-Hogan wrote an appreciation  her classmates' creations:

From my Cultivating Creativity course these are three visual artist representations of the “I Have a Dream” speech concepts that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I loved how all three artworks all conveyed very similar yet different messages.  As a whole, each art work talks about race, but they all pinpoint different aspects within racism.  For example, the first image by Margarita Velazco represents colorism, and how in some cases siblings may look different but they are still related and they are very beautiful despite their differences in skin tone.

I Have a Dream Concept:
My Beautiful Twin Sister by Margarita Velazco

The next artwork done by fellow classmate Lui Sitama puts a different and unique spin on what Martin Luther King wanted to come from his activism and his speech:  opportunity for African-Americans in America.  I love the way Lui represents this concept by creating a check which I felt was a very compelling yet simple art choice.

I Have a Dream Concept:
A Check for Their Freedom by Lui Sitama

The last art work comes from another one of my classmates Ronneisha Lendon, who used birds to represent both white and black people in America.  I loved the showcase of life and freedom in America when it comes each particular race, especially the intricate detail of the chain being attached to the black bird.  I find these three paintings done by my classmates very eye-opening, yet interesting and enjoyable.

I Have a Dream Concept:
Free by Roneisha

(Ketirah also works as tech in the COM Department MacLab.  She penned this reflection on making prints of student photographs for the exhibition.)

The first image, taken by Samira Abdul-Karim, was a picture that I loved for its clarity.  When it came to printing out this picture, aside from some minor editing, there was not much for me to do. All I had to do was slightly lower the brightness of the image and sharpen small areas.  This picture was very clean, clear, and bright, and that made me enjoy printing it out.

I Have a Dream Concept:
"With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation, into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood."
By Samira Abdul-Karim

The second picture, photographed by Dan Blouin, was also an image I enjoyed printing.  The focus of the picture was pretty clear and in focus.  The only thing I had to edit was the brightness, which I heightened a little bit.

Are Photographs Truth?
Photographs are truth because when you capture an image that subject is actually there. You cannot take a photo of something that doesn't exist. To make a photo not truthful you would need to alter it in some way, such as Photoshop.
By Dan Blouin

Lastly, the third image I printed was by Tia Caulton.  When I first saw this image, it was a bit intimidating.  This image has a lot of detail and I did not want to brighten it or sharpen to it.  I did not want the image to look muddled.  Instead I just brightened the image slightly.  I thoroughly enjoyed these images and found them enjoyable to print.  I was captivated by them.

Are Photographs Truth?
This photograph shows a not-truth. Everything about the photo is manipulated, including the color, the staging and the planning of the photo before it was shot.
By Tia Caulton

Visual and Digital Arts Major Ethan Murray created this exhibition poster for his Graphic Design class.