Art in the Legislature 2023

Udiong by Grace Benjamin

“Udiong” is a large-scale multi-media piece named after my favorite uncle, and created in dedication to all of my uncles who were child soldiers during the Sudanese civil war. I chose to illustrate the stories they have told me of hiding in the “bush” (forest) during the war. I used the silhouettes of young cattle herders from the Dinka tribe as a reference for the subject matter in this piece. The Dinka tribe is known for herding cattle, which is what my uncles would have been doing alongside attending school if the war had not taken place. I utilized patterns found in various African sub-saharan textiles that hold important meanings to me. This piece draws inspiration from my Nilotic heritage as well as my family’s relationship with traditional east African animistic religions. Through this piece, I was able to explore my experiences as a young artist who was raised by refugees who have had their youth and childhood disrupted by war.

Eyes of Michigan by Amanda Cheung

“Eyes of Michigan” is a collective body of work that consists of 50 illustrations of the eyes of people I’ve encountered around campus. It is commonly said that eyes are the windows to the soul, and my aim was to capture that small facet of the color, life, and expression that can be depicted in just one aspect of a person. As someone who always felt uncomfortable with extended periods of direct eye contact, this project pushed me out of my comfort zone. Each drawing took about 20 minutes. This project occurred when COVID mask restrictions were still in place. With everybody wearing masks, eyes were the main thing we saw in a person’s face that was not covered. Despite the flexibility and convenience that online learning offered, I made it a point to make each of these encounters in person — there is so much detail and life that a screen cannot capture. Throughout the process, it was fascinating to capture how the present states of those individuals were able to create nuances in the expressions in their eyes, whether it was through lighthearted conversation or doing work in peaceful silence.

tedious by Brianna Darlene Fox

“tedious” is describing both visual processes involved with making this print. Both carving the linoleum block and braiding my hair is a long, slow, monotonous journey that takes upwards of 6+ hours. Every stroke and angle of my hands and fingers affects its visual outcome. Mistakes can be made without harm, but too many can negatively affect the outcome in ways that will not be missed by someone who is paying close enough attention.

untitled self portrait by Ikalanni Jahi

This piece was created as a final project for a figure painting course I took, meant to emulate a masterpiece and make it our own by inserting our faces into it. As an African American woman, it was hard finding a typical “old masterpiece” to see myself in, so I took a step out and chose a more modern piece to better suit my features (based on a work by @orphans_inc on Instagram)!

I found this painting to be highly reflective of my dual-sidedness when it comes to my personality; sometimes mundane with only undertones and shadows of hue, while other times life decides to explode into a range of vibrancy and pattern. Color always speaks in my work and I think the mashup here urges you to also view yourself in a similar luminous duality!

You’re Not a Team Player by Moteniola Ogundipe

“You’re Not a Team Player” is a piece that explores the microaggressive notion prevalent in academic and professional settings that a Black woman’s silence is a negative reflection of her attitude. “Silence as rage” is what I’ve coined as this phenomenon. As someone who’s experienced this, I know that deviation from traditional social environments is seen as a punishable act that leads to isolation or other consequences. Silence can be extremely loud and a political act of self-preservation that holds cultural significance to those who operate on the outside of society’s ideal standards.

Trust the Process by Elsa Olander

Change, which has provided many opportunities for growth, is the best way to describe how my life has unfolded from a year ago until now. Before I moved to Ann Arbor, I lived in Kenya, in a town surrounded by wildlife and nature which is captured in the interior painting on the left featuring Mt. Kenya in the background. The painting on the right is the UMMA, which centers me on my life and goals here at the University of Michigan. The girl in an afro (advocating black girl magic) dressed in the icy shade of blue dress is a representation of myself when people refer to me as the Ice Queen from Frozen almost every time I introduce myself, as I am also Elsa. The girl below her does represent me, but me in the future still juggling academics, art, and work. The book says ‘Trust the Process’, a phrase that my dad tells me when things get tough because I am a long way from home and mostly alone. That’s the least I can do, for I can’t go back to my past or foretell what’s in my future, but only embrace the journey as I walk through it and trust the process.

Koi by Siyu Zhong

Koi, commonly seen as the symbol of peace and good luck in Chinese culture, was usually kept for decorative purposes in koi ponds or water gardens. In my artwork, the koi is leaping out of the undulating waves, towards the sun. There is an old saying in Chinese that once a koi leaped over the gate of heaven, it will become a dragon. The koi in my artwork represents courage. The calm and determined look on the girl’s face challenges the definition of tradition, striving towards infinite possibilities behind the waves.