The McIninch Art Gallery
Student Spotlight
The McIninch Art Gallery is proud to present our latest virtual exhibition, EMBODY. This exhibition originated at the Mandeville Gallery, Union College.

Support for this virtual exhibition and its accompanying digital catalog comes from the Samuel P. Hunt Foundation.

EMBODY features, contemporary artists of diaspora applying collage methods, both conceptually, and in some cases, literally, as a technique to construct identity and selfhood within the mode of portraiture or figuration in the visual arts. 
DIDIER WILLIAM
I see you, we all see you, 2017
photopolymer print
My name is Morgan Vespa. I am a junior at SNHU and have been working at the McIninch Art Gallery for two years. This piece is one of multiple from Didier William on display in our latest show EMBODY, which explores various artists' takes on the concept of self-expression. Didier William has been featured in the McIninch Art Gallery previously, and I am so happy that his work is being displayed through our gallery. His work has always resonated with me, so I chose a piece by Didier William for this newsletter. The work I decided to focus on is titled "I See You, We All See You," which was made using the art of printmaking. Created in 2015, this seems to be a self-portrait of the artist. The body is covered in his signature eye motifs, and he gazes defiantly out at the viewer. This print is part of the Union College permanent collection.

After reading about Didier William, I learned that he and his family immigrated to the US from Haiti. He graduated with his BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and an MFA in Painting and Printmaking from Yale University. His works often reflect social issues, focusing on sexuality, gender expression, and identity. As an openly gay man, these works are extremely personal to him. He also uses imagery that reminds him of his childhood home and community. Many people have questioned what the eyes motif means in his works. While Didier William has given his intent behind the gaze, he has said that it is important to him that people find their own meaning in his works. I believe the eyes are a symbol of accountability and honesty, especially in this work. The figure who is looking at you so intently is asking for you to do the same back. He is asking for you to see him as a person and nothing more. He asks you to let go of gender and sexuality barriers and look at the figure as a person. Overall, this piece is significant to me, and I believe the vagueness of it helps the viewer interpret it in many ways, which I find wonderful about this piece.

Morgan Vespa
Communications Major
Junior at SNHU
AMIR H. FALLAH
The Light Within, 2017
acrylic on panel
Hello, my name is Joyce Saghbini. I am currently in the second semester of my junior year at SNHU and am studying Early Childhood Education and Special Education. I am also a gallery assistant with the McIninch Art Gallery. Currently, the McIninch Art Gallery is exhibiting a virtual show EMBODY, featuring contemporary artists who add various collage methods, both literally and as a way to symbolize the building of identity and selfhood within the mode of portraiture or figuration in the visual arts. The artist that I chose to focus on was Amir H. Fallah.

This art piece called "The Light Within" by Amir H. Fallah prominently stood out to me. He is known to collage layers of objects sourced from his subject's environment and conceals the human subject of the portrait with patterned fabric. The patterned fabric seems to portray certain aspects of culture and their environments. His body of work includes painting, installation, drawing, and sculpture. This picture both references and plays off longstanding Western and Middle Eastern traditions and uses of portraiture.
I thought it was interesting how he covered the subject's features and skin color to cover up what would show a physical likeness. His portrait style does not include the specific emphasis on facial features, hair color/style, and skin color. Instead, he focuses on their possessions and domestic environments. After listening to a bit of Fallah’s background and artwork intentions, I was able to relate to his story of consistently being questioned where I am 'really' from as far as my ethnicity. Being Middle Eastern myself and growing up all my life in New Hampshire, I do not seem to have the typical accent or 'cultured background' as the rest of my family. I was also never really able to feel completely American because of my unique features.

This artwork is greatly appreciated because I was able to resonate with Fallah. The way that he takes less emphasis on the subject's features is a great way to express his thoughts about that physical aspect that people would notice firsthand. His art was an excellent way for multiracial and multicultural people to see similar struggles and relate to his experiences. Amir H. Fallah has also allowed room through his works for dominant groups (non-minorities) to look at his works and understand what minorities and various ethnic groups may have experienced in America.

Joyce Saghbini
Education Major
Junior at SNHU
SAYA WOOLFALK
​Encyclopedia of Cloud Divination, (Plate 2), 2018
archival inkjet, silkscreen, silver leaf, chine collé, ed. 3/14
Hello! I am Rachel Willoughby, a senior Psychology major at SNHU. As an assistant working for the McIninch Art Gallery, I have had the privilege of being exposed to a wide variety of artists and art styles. Our most current exhibit, EMBODY, is one I am particularly passionate about. It is an exceptionally diverse, multicultural collection of artists who use their own unique methods to explore and interpret themes of identity. The artist I have chosen to discuss for this week’s collection spotlight is Saya Woolfalk, focusing on her piece Encyclopedia of Cloud Divination (Plate 2).

Through various projects and the use of science fiction, Woolfalk has created a fictional race of female hybrids, the Empathics, who can willingly alter their genetic makeup and fuse with plants. Their world explores identity through an evolutionary lens and asks the question: can cultural perfection be achieved? Of both African American and Japanese lineage, Woolfalk seeks to discuss acculturation and assimilation in her works, aiming to create experiences that parallel our own reality and state of our world. With this specific print, Woolfalk used various collage methods and mediums, including silk screen printing, chine-colle, silver leaf paint, and archival ink. When combined, these techniques create an intricate and eye-capturing piece. Its’ colors are inviting and gentle. Its’ symmetry adds a sense of perfection to the work that resonates with the themes of genetic mutation and the strive for utopia.

When giving the exhibit an initial glance, Woolfalk’s works were the first to instantly draw my attention. I have always been a creatively driven individual, which is why reading about her processes and fictional narratives had me intrigued from the very beginning. Having spent most of my childhood in a different country and now living in the U.S., being from two different cultures is certainly something I can relate to. Woolfalk manages to address her own multicultural experiences and other topics such as gender and race, in a unique yet inviting way. Her art encourages the observer to step out of their own reality, consider alternative ones, and engage with their own imagination and personal creativity.

Rachel Willoughby
Psychology major
Senior at SNHU
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