Mary Campbell, Makayla Harmon, Emma Vieser, Rachel Doub, and Mary Margaret Micheaux Williams
This week, the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) and the School of Art celebrated four Research in Arts Scholarship recipients with a reception and unveiling of their research-based art projects. As part of the program, students studied abroad in Paris, France over the summer and completed their art project during the fall semester.
The Research in Arts Scholarship is a creative partnership between OUR and the School of Art that brings together financial support and comprehensive training in research skills and professional development. Under the direction of School of Art faculty member Mary Campbell and OUR program directors, scholarship recipients participate in the Art History in Paris course and produce a research-based art project that is displayed in an exhibit for one academic year.
“This program was established to highlight and enhance research in the arts. Our collaboration with Mary Campbell and funding from the Office of Research and Engagement has been key in making this program a success,” said Susan Troop, OUR program director. “We are very excited to showcase the art and research produced by this wonderfully talented group of students”
Rachel Doub, senior in studio and three-dimensional arts, explored the portrayal of women’s bodies and identities throughout history, and created a sculptural piece representing the myth of Medusa with symbolic funerary objects in a way that celebrates her strength.
Makayla Harmon, freshman in political science and French, studied how art is informed by sociopolitical environments. Using a local monument honoring confederate soldiers as the subject, Harmon created multiple etchings that present a critical view of the impact the monument may have on people of color while acknowledging the continued oppression of marginalized groups in modern America.
Emma Vieser, senior double majoring in studio art (2D) and art history, created distorted photographs to explore how individuals perceive the world both immediately and in their memory. Using modern tools to manipulate the photographs, Vieser explored questions about gender representation, visualization, and the honesty of perception.
Mary Margaret Micheaux Williams, junior in architecture, created a sculptural piece composed of three panels of plexiglass etched with images representing the complex relationship between art and culture. The Mona Lisa and The Stigmata, the adoration of the former and the eradication of the latter, feature prominently as examples in the work.
Students interested in the Research in Arts Scholarship can apply online at ugresearch.utk.edu. There are three $1,500 awards available for Summer 2020. The deadline to apply for the 2020 scholarship is March 9, 2020.
Full gallery available for viewing here.
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CONTACT: Raphael Rosalin (865-974-2152, rrosalin@utk.edu)