Going into this class, I expected a sociology- or psychology-type class and was surprised when the class appeared to be a sort of art appreciation class. However, I was not disappointed in the class. Dr. Alex Graebic, LCVA Curator, knows not only how to curate art exhibitions but also classes: Inquiry Into Identity is an insightful, mind-opening exploration of what it means to different people to be themselves. My favorite part of the class is that we had the fabled 2am “deep” discussions my parents told me about in college in the mid-afternoon, in class. While I was already in tune to many of the progressive threads about identity covered in the class, they were expanded on and my respect for them increased. Though this class was a topical curveball, it was thoroughly enjoyable and I got a lot out of it.
Attached below is an essay I wrote after interviewing Texas-born, Baltimore-educated, NYC-based artist Morgan Everhart, whose work I was exposed to by this class and the LCVA. I am largely a music fan, but her work is the first visual art that I really connected with.