The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Multicultural Student Success collaborated with Multicultural Student Affairs on Thursday to host Iowa State’s third annual Black Art Exhibit, a space where Black and African-identifying students can showcase their artistic creations.
Lyric Sellers, a sophomore in communication studies, presented her work at the exhibit.
“Something that I live by is I want to be something that lasts longer than me,” Sellers said. “I think that’s why I geared my message toward young Black girls, it is the kind of things that I wish I would have heard and those things that keep me going day to day, knowing that I’m doing it for someone for generations to come.”
Sellers said one thing she hopes people can take away from her work is being a part of liberating young Black girls.
“I do our part every day to invest in our tools and to make them feel heard or seen and loved,” Sellers said.
Sellers encouraged people to find creative ways to express themselves.
“It really does keep us going to find ways to both express in what ways we can oppress unheard or unseen, but to make it enjoyable for us at the same time, because activism and resistance can be hard to find a creative way to do so,” Sellers said.
Jamir Madrey, a senior in entrepreneurship, said he appreciated the opportunity to be involved in a series of student photographs presented at the exhibit.
“We’re showing different types of Black culture within all types of Black people throughout the world, not just focusing mainly on African Americans, but all different types of Black people on different cultures within the Black person,” Madrey said.
Madrey said he liked the creativity of the exhibition.
“I believe that artwork is whatever you want to make it, and I appreciate everybody being able to come out, show whatever they believe is artwork, and explain why it is,” Madrey said. “Artwork can be whatever you want it to be, and I appreciate everybody coming out and explaining why they believe their art is.”
Khalil Jeter, a junior in pre-athletic training, said his experience with the exhibit taught him that people can make art out of anything.
“As long as you put your feelings into it and you know you have some type of message that you want to convey, anything can be conveyed as art,” Jeter said.
Jeter said he is glad all the artists are really welcoming and that they want exposure to art, whether it is spoken word, photography, drawings or paintings.
“If you have the most to express yourself through things like this Black art exhibit, just go out and do it because you never know who’s listening, and you never know who can resonate with you or relate to you,” Jeter said.
