Ancestors of the Passage: Work by Imna Arroyo
Inspired by this year’s UConn Reads selected book, Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Refugees, and the histories of voluntary and involuntary immigration that brought us to become American. Imna Arroyo’s art installation explores the forced immigration of slaves from Africa. The ancestors of the Middle Passage, those who had been on slave ships going from Africa to the Caribbean who did not survive. Life size terracotta ceramic distinctive figures are submerged in the water surrounded by collagraphs representing a multitude of people witnessing the journey. The terracotta figures depict the African ancestors that died and are coming back to tell us to remember our gifts. This artwork attempts to give a visual voice to the untold story of the millions of people who died during the Atlantic crossing.
This exhibition is a collaboration with: The Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center; El Instituto: Institute of Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies; the Asian and Asian American Studies Institute; and the Art and Art History Department of the School of Fine Arts, University of Connecticut.
51st Annual Studio Art Faculty Exhibition
This annual exhibition highlights recent work of the permanent, adjunct, and visiting studio art faculty from the Department of Art and Art History, School of Fine Arts at UConn. A variety of media are featured; painting, sculpture, illustration, graphic design, printmaking, photography, and installation art. Such diverse bodies of work represent the most significant directions in contemporary art, as well as the unique vision of each artist-faculty member.
Both exhibitions open on January 18, 2018 and will be on view until March 11, 2018.
Opening Reception – Thursday, January 25, 2018, 4:30-7:00 pm
5:30 pm: Remarks followed by Latin dance performance and live music.
The event is FREE and open to the public. Donations welcome.
Cash bar, hors d’oeuvres.
THE WILLIAM BENTON MUSEUM OF ART
University of Connecticut
School of Fine Arts
245 Glenbrook Road
Storrs, CT
www.benton.uconn.edu
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For more information, contact: The Benton Museum at 860-486-4520