Students showcase identity through artistic expression

With art as a means of self-expression and as a passion for many students, some students find it important to explore ways to showcase art outside the classroom.

With the help of Kyle McManamy, a college minister at Chapel Hill Bible Church, UNC seniors Maggie Blank and Emma Biggerstaff took this task into their own hands and created their art show,  "ID: Identity + Change." 

The art show, which will be shown Oct. 30 at the North Carolina Study Center, is focused on the concept of how artists identify themselves and will feature visual and performing art pieces from various UNC students.

Senior Connor Elledge will be one of those visual artists with his work on display.

“It was pretty open-ended whenever they told us about it," he said. "They basically wanted us to get pieces of art that reflect our identity as artists, I think."

Senior Meredith Woodson, who will be a part of the show as one of the performing artists, said the visual aspect of the show contributes to the theme of self-identification.

"The theme of the show is self-identity, so I think that music and dance and visual art can all use movement or painting to portray that meaning,” she said. 

Woodson said although the performing art would be viewed as a secondary component of the show, it is still very important in self-expression and identity.

“We will be making up our movement as we go, so portraying things in our identity and what we think it is," she said.

Blank, one of the organizers of the show, said she believes in the importance of self-expression through the different mediums of art.

"A lot of art and performing art is so expressive of the way that we think or the way that we feel about different things,” she said. “So, we just wanted to give these people the opportunity to celebrate the things that we make and the things that say something about who we are.”

Elledge also believes that opportunities like this are important for students as artists to showcase their work.

 "For me, it’s photography," he said. "If I don’t actively show people or put it out there on social media, people aren’t going to go out and see it.”

Blank described art as another means for students to get involved at UNC and to understand their fellow classmates.

"It's awesome just to support your Carolina students, but also it's just a neat way to learn new things about ourselves as a student body," she said.

“Just to see all these different things and different people come together, I’m just really excited to see this big celebration of art and creative expression and conversation.”

@maggsmouat

arts@dailytarheel.com