Art Beyond Walls: Mount Saint Vincent Hosts Public Art Installation

11/11/2024

View Illuminations, A Student-Created Public Art Display

Exhibiting Student Artists: Katherine Aquino | Cielo Colon | Katelyn Cuadrado | Alicia Gonzaga Hernandez | Toriona Johnson | Sherly Morban | Precious Nkele | Leshaun Rowe | Emily Suazo Pelaez
Location: UMSV Campus
Exhibition Dates: Tuesday, November 12 to Tuesday, December 3 (Weather Permitting)
Opening Tours: Tuesday, November 12 | 1:30-3:30 PM

Thanks to a recently reintroduced art course by Professor Laura Elayne Miller, in the Division of Communication, Art, and Media, the University of Mount Saint Vincent is proud to announce an outdoor exhibition of art created by students. This first-of-its-kind campus initiative, called Illuminations, will be on display from November 12-December 3 (weather permitting).

“Public art is getting a lot of attention right now,” said Assistant Professor of Studio Art and VAEM Laura Elayne Miller. “Aside from providing beauty or entertainment, it can also interpret history, express a culture, or address a social issue. But, most of all, public art is an authentic expression of the artist toward the people who will experience it, with the aim to build community.”

The course, titled “Making Public Art,” introduces students to this prevalent, contemporary art form and the concept of artistic expression that celebrates a specific community and its diversity of experiences. Moreover, students learn first-hand that art does not need to be hemmed in by gallery walls—but can be authentically accessible for all to enjoy.

“Many people think of public art as just decorative murals or historic monuments, but it’s so much more,” said Professor Miller.

Public art may also encompass digital interactivity, free public performances, and even projections on buildings. It can be permanent or temporary, large or small scale. The only requirement is that every project should reflect both the place and an idea or aesthetic purpose for the people in its proximity.

Professor Miller, a multi-disciplinary artist, has served as a gallery director, filmmaker, and performer, among other roles. In addition to her own experience making art for the public, she is a member of the Cultural Research Network (an international network of cultural policy makers) and has published on the topic. These experiences are the backbone of her expertise in this artform. Her broad experience in the arts carries weight with her students, who began researching their projects under her guidance.

“We began by visiting public art installations around New York City,” Professor Miller shared. “I asked the students to start noticing what inspires them and how these artworks inform the work they are doing in class. I was impressed by how quickly they’ve adopted the terminology and begun to apply the principles to their project to make it their own.”

A central tenet of public art is to pay attention to the site where the piece will be displayed. For example, the work might reflect the history and culture of the area or address social concerns and the hope for something better.

“By linking artistic practice with the needs of the community in which it is located, public art speaks directly to the Mount’s mission,” Professor Miller said.

The nine student-artists chose campus sites that ranged from landmark buildings to bus stop shelters to tranquil spots away from the bustle and noise. Their themes reflect healing, wonder, imagination, cultural roots, women’s empowerment, and emotional equilibrium. One student chose an enclosed bus stop shelter to display a mosaic of photos of Latinx families, including her own. The student’s recorded music from her culture can be accessed through a QR code while inside her art installation. Another student created a series of drawings of her Nigerian culture and fashioned them into a pop-out history.

Sophomore psychology major Sherly Morban ’27 created an art piece called Waters of Inspiration. Displayed at the Grotto at the front of campus, the viewer is invited to step into a tranquil environment and write down a private message, thought, or feeling.

“I chose the Grotto because it’s a peaceful, natural environment where people would feel more at ease when they come to write their thoughts down,” Sherly said. “I used to think of public art as more of a decorative thing, but now I realize that it can be a space to express feelings, reflect, and feel less alone or isolated. It can help people connect and even heal.”

The course is open to art majors and non-art majors alike, including any students wishing to explore the joys of making art.

Professor Miller further reflected: “In addition to teaching technical art skills, I’m also encouraging students to ask questions like: what does this communicate? How does the artwork hold your attention? What gives it meaning? This builds the students’ confidence in their ability to think creatively, and to be intentional in trying to evoke a response from the viewer. I’m so proud of them. This is advanced for novice artists, and they’re all taking risks, speaking their truths, and making incredible work.”

The Illuminations exhibit will be on display from November 12-December 3. The student-artists will lead guided tours on opening day from 1:30-3:30 PM. A campus map marked with the location of each piece is available below for those wishing to experience the installation on their own.

Miller believes the legacy of the public art project will be to have an impact on all who view it—even if it’s just a quick look on their way to class.

“I am confident that our students, faculty, and visitors will feel a greater sense of connection with the UMSV community after experiencing these artworks,” she said. “And I hope everyone who encounters these works of art will ponder the fact that someone from our community made this for them.”

—

Public Art Projects

Katherine Aquino
Project Title: Tranquil Bloom
Location: Balcony Outside of Founders Hall Entrance
Description: My piece represents a feeling of tranquility while outside of where academics take place. It is a way for anyone to slow down and appreciate the calmness and beauty of nature, especially for students that may be feeling overwhelmed or stressed from classes.

Cielo Colon
Project Title: Girlhood
Location: Courtyard Behind Founders Hall
Description: This installation is about women’s empowerment. Positive affirmations are important because they stand against negative self-talk, improve mental well-being, and increase confidence. As someone who has struggled for years with my mental health, I feel like positive affirmations helped me get through most of my depressive stages. These affirmations were made from our community and this shows our collective experience. Women’s empowerment also helps gender equity. Not only does it include an increase in women’s’ self-worth, decision-making, and access to opportunities, but it helps a woman take control of her own life.

Katelyn Cuadrado
Project Title: Home Diaries 
Location: Grace Center Bus Stop
Description: What does “home” mean to you? This can represent wherever you feel most safe or maybe where you can truly be yourself. In this installation, home represents family and my cultural roots and those that have influenced who I am today. I hope you find pieces of your family within mine as home is truly where the heart is.

Alicia Gonzaga Hernandez
Project Title: DOODLES 
Location: Stone Walkway Between College Road and Maryvale Hall
Description: My aim for this project is to inspire fellow students and show them that studying can be an enjoyable experience. You have the freedom to shape studying to your liking. Nonetheless, studying is vital for acing your classes and can propel you towards surpassing your daily goals, even when it feels too hard.

Toriona Johnson
Project Title: Home By the Sea 
Location: Maryvale Hall Entrance Windows
Description: The natural lighting that will reflect on the glass through the windows will create an ethereal ambiance. I hope that when someone views my artwork, they feel a sense of connection and joy, as if each piece speaks directly to their experiences and emotions. I want my work to evoke a sense of wonder, sparking their imagination and inviting them to see the world from a unique perspective. Ideally, they would leave feeling inspired, even uplifted, with a newfound appreciation for beauty in the everyday. Most importantly, I hope they feel a sense of warmth and authenticity, as if they have encountered a piece of my heart reflected in the colors and forms.

Sherly Morban
Project Title: Waters of Inspiration 
Location: The Grotto
Description: Waters of Inspiration invites you to share your deepest thoughts in a nature infused setting. Nestled among the trees, this art installation features a simple box where you can pen your feelings, releasing them into the world anonymously. As you connect with the tranquility of the environment, allow your words to drift on the breeze, merging with the whispers of the natural world. This project seeks to create a sacred space for reflection, healing, and connection, reminding us that we are not alone in our thoughts. Each message becomes a part of the collective consciousness, fostering a sense of unity and shared vulnerability. Let your heart speak and become a voice in the symphony of nature.

Precious Nkele
Project Title: Motherland 
Location: Elizabeth Seton Library, 2nd Floor
Description: A visual timeline of the colonization, decolonization, and present-day effects on Africa. This is my heritage and an artistic expression and brief history lesson for the community that’s fun and interactive.

Leshaun Rowe
Project Title: A Peaceful Mosaic 
Location: Founders Hall, Interior Doorway Leading to the 2nd Floor Balcony
Description: A mosaic is a puzzle; it is like broken-up pieces trying to be whole. No one is perfect and nothing is perfect because that is just how we were made. Through the form of a spider web, each piece forms a unity, but is not equal in shape, trying to be whole. I hope you think of it as more than tiles and see it as more than pieces that make up a whole.

Emily Suazo Pelaez
Project Title: The Whispering Tree
Location: The Tree at the Entrance of the Science Hall
Description: The Whispering Tree is an interactive art piece inviting participants to anonymously share a secret by hanging it on a beautifully crafted tree. Guided by the question “What is a secret about love you have never shared, and why?” it encourages introspection, exploring themes of secrecy, shame, and honesty.

About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers a nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the University equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment, and leadership in the 21st century.