Lamont Gallery: “Change Agents”
On Friday night, the Lamont Gallery hosted a reception for its newest show, “Change Agents: Personal Art as Political Tactic.” “Change Agents,” which was developed by a team of student curators, served as a vehicle for extending recent conversations held on campus regarding identity, social constructions and political convictions.
At the reception, Principal Lisa MacFarlane welcomed the guests and introduced the Student Curatorial Team, the members of which went around the room pointing out their favorite pieces. Following this, seniors Nick Madamidola and Annie Ning performed Audre Lorde’s “Lost Voices,” and the students, faculty and community members in attendance viewed the artwork. What they saw came in many forms; art ranging from paintings to prints to sculptures to videos—visual, auditory and interactive. A leather jacket, covered with words, hung in the middle of the main gallery. In a small room on the left, a woman confined by an old fashioned TV struggled to escape. Some students took the “paper bag test,” signing their names and leaving a small message on the paper bag that matched their skin tone. Each bag featured names, such as “fair,” “camel” and “darkie.” In the entrance of the gallery, two teachers jumped in unison on a black mat on the floor, playing an interactive video game featured in the exhibit.
“I learned from the process that art comes in many different forms, and that it can be used as a platform for change.”
According to gallery director Lauren O’Neal, the exhibit served to convey multiple messages. “The variety of artistic styles, themes and approaches to understanding social justice from personal, social and political perspectives reveal how multilayered and complex these topics are,” she said. “None of us are one thing only, but we each hold the potential to create positive change.”
O’Neal explained that the show spoke not only to politics in the most fundamental sense of the word, but also to politics more broadly. “We are all, everyday, political. Every gesture, desire and action is political,” she said. “Dignity, grace and care are all political concepts, and we are all responsible in upholding them in our daily lives and in the structures and systems we perpetuate, or dismantle.”
The diverse array of work featured in “Change Agents” was selected with care. The curatorial team who picked the artwork consisted of students—many of whom serve on the MLK Day Committee also—curious about finding creative ways to promote social justice on campus. Along with gallery intern Olivia Knauss and O’Neal, they worked together using the Harkness style to go through hundreds of pieces of potential artwork and select the most compelling ones. They considered not only the power of each piece itself, but also how the piece fit in with the other selections. They sought to create an exhibition that would encompass a diverse range of art forms as well as highlight an array of social issues.
Many students on the curatorial team felt that the experience was profound and educational. “I learned from the process that art comes in many different forms,” said upper Chris Agard, “and that it can be used as a platform for change.”
O’Neal commended the students’ hard work, saying “the curatorial team’s conversations about the themes of the exhibition and what type of work would best address the many issues we discussed were nuanced and thought-provoking.”
On Saturday morning, the Exeter community had the opportunity to meet some of the 37 contributing artists at a gallery panel. There, the artists discussed their works, inspiration and the obligation they felt to use their art to mobilize social awareness and change. O’Neal said that she valued the opportunity to hear what motivated the artist’s work. “Each piece expands how I think about issues of representation, voice and empowerment,” she said. “The panel discussion furthered this reaction—each artist was able to share why they did the type of work they did, and why they found it personally so important and so urgent.”
She went on to say that she saw in the participating artists an engagement born out of experiences ranging from frustration at systems of oppression, a deep sense of pride in their identities and a readiness to question norms. “I hope that the work inspires people to embrace what they believe,” O’Neal continued, “and, as artist Ila Prouty mentioned, to listen, learn and be willing to engage in sometimes uncomfortable and awkward conversations.”
For student curator and upper Sally Ma, the exhibit did just this. “‘Change Agents’ takes a different, refreshing approach to our most imminent societal issues by using artwork and its powerful visual and auditory impact to inspire the audience to think, reflect and question,” she said. “ At a time when antagonism and hatred permeate our society, ‘Change Agents’ aims to promote understanding and search for our common humanity.”