SEMESTER 3

The fall 2020 semester has, undoubtedly, been marked by many distinct changes from previous experiences in College Park Scholars. Our willingness to adapt and put our best foot forward as we tackled the tasks at hand despite the truly unprecedented circumstances has been essential. Despite all of the new obstacles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our learning experience has continued even beyond the conventional classroom. Throughout the last several months, Arts Scholars has helped me recognize how the arts can be used to re-contextualize various learned histories, biases, and beliefs. One of the primary ways this was accomplished was through discussions with different guest speakers from various artistic backgrounds. For example, when guest artist Ivelisse Diaz visited our colloquium to talk about her background in Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba music and dance, she led an extremely inspiring open dialogue about how she and others have used this form of art to explore its own historic and contemporary cultural roots. Diaz also emphasized how ancient traditions can be revitalized in order to challenge inequality and prejudice by providing a platform or a voice to people who might not have one otherwise.

Another integral part of this semester was centered around the development of our capstone project proposals. To this end, Arts Scholars provided us with a theoretical model for initiating our respective creative processes by breaking the larger project into smaller, less daunting steps ranging from ideation, to research, to significance and impact, to logistics, and then to the final task of stringing it altogether in a coherent fashion. Similarly, this deconstructed creative process allowed for numerous opportunities for the exchange of feedback and subsequent revisions. I also found the peer review component of this project to be extremely beneficial because not only was I inspired by looking over my classmates’ projects, but their constructive criticisms of my own work allowed me to pinpoint exactly which elements of my proposal needed to fleshed out in greater detail or clarified. The feedback I received during the critical response process also helped me figure out the specific direction I ultimately took my project in. I knew very early on that I wanted to use collage art for my capstone but I floundered when it came to deciding on a meaningful topic that would resonate with my peers.

This semester, art’s capacity as a mechanism for expressing values, beliefs, and lived experiences resonated with me both within and beyond the confines of our weekly Arts Scholars colloquiums. Recently, I came across a headline about an artist from my hometown, Baltimore, who was garnering international attention for an installation in Denver, Colorado honoring Elijah McClain, an unarmed Black man who died following a deadly encounter with police in nearby Aurora, Colorado. The artist, who goes by the name Reed Bmore, is a wire sculptor known for the detailed pieces that he suspends from traffic lights and other overhead wires. Though his installations are often quickly removed due to their illegal nature, he has built a reputation throughout Baltimore and beyond. I think that this installation, which depicted McClain playing a violin to a shelter cat (something he has become well-known for), was a particularly poignant reminder about racial injustice and police brutality in American. With the stress of the election and the ongoing pandemic, the calls for systemic change that were greatly amplified over the summer have now been pushed to the back of some people’s minds. Reed Bmore’s ability to use his unique art form to remind us of the injustice of Elijah McClain’s untimely death is reminiscent of the conversations that took place during the “Social Activism: Art as an Agent for Change” panel discussion we attended towards the beginning of the semester. Much like the mural work of panelist Mas Paz, Reed Bmore’s public installations have the ability to boost and expand our collectively political awareness of certain issues.

On a related note, the Arts supporting course that has  revealed the strongest connections to my experiences in Arts Scholars so far was ARTH260 – Art and Activism, taught by another panelist from the aforementioned discussion: Dr. Abigail McEwen. In the time since I took the course last fall, I have encountered countless situations where the art, artists, and historical topics we covered prove to be extremely relevant. In terms of Arts Scholars specifically, ARTH260 thoroughly prepared me for the recurring discussions we have had throughout this semester about art as an agent for social change. So many of the talking points of the panel discussion and subsequent discussion board amongst my peers were ones which we covered during the class I had taken previously and I enjoyed the opportunity to revisit them once again.

Without a shadow of doubt, the transition to virtual learning has not been a seamless one and it is so easy during these times to feel completely disconnected from school and your peers. Though there have been plenty of awkward silences over Zoom or otherwise uncomfortable mishaps, I really have come to appreciate the virtual colloquiums we’ve had this semester. Seeing people’s faces (even through a screen) forges a sense of connection that just is not there when a class is completely asynchronous. This year, the “living” part of this living-learning community has been different for me as I did not return to campus, but I remain connected to those who I lived with last year. My Arts Scholars roommate and I are still very close and I think that my experience with the program this semester has been enriched by the opportunity to discuss colloquium and other assignments with a classmate.

This semester, I tried to contribute to the Arts program and larger Scholars community by joining the Arts Advisory Board. I was curious about the group last year on campus, but was ultimately too busy (and maybe also just a little bit hesitant to try something new). Now, I am so glad to have joined because I appreciate the opportunity to connect with my classmates in a time that is otherwise so isolated. It also feels very fulfilling to be a part of planning and hosting events that serve my peers and connect people with the arts. My only regret is not joining AAB sooner so that I could have participated in person before the pandemic, when our options for potential events were far less limited.

Being in College Park Scholars has exposed me to people of many diverse backgrounds and ways of thinking. Between my own peers within Arts Scholars and the array of guest artists and panelists that have visited our colloquiums throughout the semester, the exchange of ideas and diverse experiences has been omnipresent. While I can’t say that my own beliefs were necessarily challenged directly by a perspective explored within Arts Scholars, my mind was certainly opened to ideas and experiences that I had never previously considered, thereby fully reshaping and developing my understanding of the world. For example, before this semester I knew nothing about Bomba and very little about the history and culture of Puerto Rico. Ivelisse Diaz’s visit with our class in October provided an extremely engaging insight into ancient traditions from other parts of the globe that are far beyond the scope of my own personal experiences. Exposure to alternative points of helps us grow as students, as people, and even as artists.