Old Stone Mill houses MLK themed artistry

Author: Jessie Kissinger

Joining together an eclectic mix of student and professional art, the Old Stone Mill opened an exhibit honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Friday, Jan.16. Though there is no linear sense of aesthetic to the exhibit - which mingles mixed-media collage, photography, papier-mâché, graphite drawings, oil paintings and even a blend of spray paint, ink, highlighter, and acrylic - common themes of social responsibility and civil rights unite the artwork.

This engaging blend of work creates a dialogue among artists with different styles but similar goals. Alex Consalvo's '09 "Untitled" (2008) emphasizes that works of art speak to one another. Inspired by New York graffiti, he uses bright color and bubble letters to evoke the layering of images on building walls, images that map out an ongoing collaboration of street artists. The words of Dr. King facilitate the dialogue among pieces in this exhibit. Most quote him either in the art's description or title.

Several pieces linked King's legacy of social change with the country's new hope in President Obama. In his work "Insufficient Funds" (circa 2008-2009), a title inspired by words from King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Alexander Benepe '09 displays a copy of the constitution, water stained, torn and stamped with "Insufficient Funds." Below it, he sets a U.S. dollar with Barack Obama's face and the words "The American Dream" lining the top. Next to this painting is Benepe's other work, "G.W. Barack," a portrait of Obama standing next to a horse and dressed in colonial riding gear - a rather appropriate companion for his currency piece.

Visiting Twilight Scholar Duda Penteado also examines the relationship between King and Obama in his work "Martin Barack Luther Obama King Jr." This mixed-media collage incorporates newspaper clippings of Obama and his family. Cartoon-esque hands float on top of the clippings, lining the edges, while bold flowers draw the viewer's eye to a row of four medium close up shots set against a black form: one of Obama, gold lines emitting from his head, accompanied by the three presidents that preceded him. To describe the piece, Penteado wrote a poem mixing King's "I Have a Dream" speech with Obama's slogan of, "a change we can believe in."

Though focused on social and global responsibility, Penteado certainly pulls from a comedic tradition. His work "Juxtaposed Realities," the product of a collaborative effort with Middlebury students, offers reflections on society with bold white lines, rendering silly depictions of the Statue of Liberty - examples include her hairy legs, the silhouette of a man looking up her skirt, and simple lines defining the borders between the U.S., Mexico, Israel and Palestine.

Works that do not involve Obama generally step back and look more broadly at issues of civil rights. Darryl Johnson '12 uses papier-mâché to craft an incredibly violent image of a black child sleeping in the arms of a white Lady Liberty with a noose around her neck. Both figures are faceless.

Yiling Zhang '12 steps outside of the American political scene completely in his photo "Go China!" Shot in Tiananmen Square years after the protest, he captures countless arms raised, recognizing the anniversary of the incident. The lightness of one shirt sleeve stands in contrast with its darker surroundings, demonstrating that individuals make up the movements full of anonymous faces pushing towards changes.

Likewise, these individual pieces, which are diverse in character, push towards raising awareness of social responsibility while honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other champions of civil rights and societal improvement.