The Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America unveiled “Alchemy,” the latest addition to its Imagining Social Justice Art Exhibit series, on Sept. 19. The exhibition features a collection of artworks portraying various interpretations of societal transformation.
When discussing the planning of the exhibit’s theme, Stéphanie Larrieux PhD’08 — lead curator of the series and associate director of the CSREA — noted that art can often help people understand social issues.
“I try to reflect on the major issues society is grappling with at a given moment in time and look for artworks that help support us in processing whatever is going on,” Larrieux wrote in an email to The Herald.
This year’s theme was inspired by the medieval practice of alchemy, which sought to transform basic metals into gold.
“I was attracted to the idea of transforming something seemingly ordinary into something different, often of greater value. The challenges and experience of divisiveness we face as a society could benefit from a similar transformation,” Larrieux wrote.
The artworks in the exhibition “comment on various issues like mental health, immigration, intersectionality and social justice,” CSREA Communications and Outreach Specialist Zachary Legat wrote in an email to The Herald.
According to Larrieux, the CSREA hopes the exhibition will “engage the public, expand community and help shape the conversation on critical issues concerning the study and understanding of the impact of the dynamics of race and ethnicity in the U.S.”
“We hope that people will find the collection to be engaging and inspire them to look for ways to alchemize a seemingly ordinary moment, idea or feeling into something more,” Legat added.
When curating the collection, CSREA staff members contacted a diverse set of artists to acquire pieces centered around the exhibition’s theme. This allowed for an intentional “variety in visual style and diversity of mediums,” allowing viewers to “enter into the conversation about the world we live in from a range of perspectives,” Larrieux wrote.
A multimedia art piece featured in the exhibition — “Another Me” by Flostitanarum — moves and changes colors when viewed through a downloadable augmented reality mobile app. According to the exhibition’s brochure, the piece tackles subjects such as “racial stress, communication techniques and best practices for handling conflict.”
“Alchemy” also showcases a variety of mixed media pieces including wooden sculptures, textured canvases and photographs. Works from local artists — including Jordan Seaberry, an assistant professor at the Rhode Island School of Design — are also featured.
The exhibition is on view in the CSREA office at 96 Waterman St. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Those interested in visiting the exhibition can schedule a viewing by emailing CSREA@brown.edu.
Manav is a junior from Indiana, concentrating in International and Public Affairs. In his free time, he likes attempting the daily Connections puzzle or falling down Wikipedia rabbit holes.
