When entering the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts, visitors are met with two options: entering a small room on their left or ascending to the fourth floor. If they choose the first path, they will find a mahogany string instrument, or a colorful mobile meant to mimic a dancer’s torso. If they choose the second, they will likely encounter various ceramics, large paintings and clouds made of glass.
All of these diverse pieces are part of “While the Sap Flows,” the Brown-RISD dual degree program’s 16th annual student-organized exhibition. Opened on Jan. 20, the exhibition will remain on view until Feb. 25. Spread out across the Granoff’s first to fourth floors, the exhibition exclusively features the work of dual degree students.
Centered around themes of intimacy and materiality, the exhibition is the culmination of months of hard work — organized, promoted and curated completely by dual-degrees, said Anay Agarwal ’28, a member of the graphics and reception committees. Part of Agarwal’s work involved creating promotional materials for the exhibit and setting up a dry floral arranging activity for the opening reception.
“I really liked the presentation of the event,” said Isabella Yoo ’25, a Brown student who attended the exhibition’s reception. “I thought the bouquet-making was a very nice touch.”
Agarwal explained that students on the exhibition committee are responsible for coming up with the year’s themes and curating the exhibit.
This year, Naya Lee Chang ’24, a former member of the exhibition committee, is presenting a tunnel book called “Looking Back.” She explained that her piece is about the story of a previous long-distance relationship.
“This is probably the one piece of personal work I’ve ever made in my life,” Chang said. “But I felt it fit with the theme.”
Lucinda Drake ’25 chose to present a set of hand-colored photos accompanied by one woodblock print. Drake, who studies Illustration and Literary Arts, explained that her series “Open Casket” was created as a celebration of death.
Her hand-colored photos showcase deceased animals that she encountered, knit clothing for and then buried. “I like the idea of having new ceremonies around death, and trying to integrate warmth into it — both emotional warmth and literally physical warmth,” Drake said.
Drake is also showing a separate woodblock entitled “It’s so boring not to be in love,” displayed on the third floor.
“I have been more and more appreciative of the (dual degree) program over time,” said Chang, who studies Furniture Design and History. “As a fifth-year now, I have a good understanding of the resources we have both at Brown and RISD.”
Agarwal explained that the around 75 dual degree students form a relatively tight-knit group. “It’s really easy to get insular with the program,” Agarwal said. “So it’s really exciting to see my friends from Brown and friends from RISD both be able to come to this (exhibition) that, at (its) core, is celebrating the dual degree students.”
Rya is an arts & culture section editor from Albany, NY. She is a junior studying English and Literary Arts, and her favorite TV show is Breaking Bad.
