The on-campus Dead Artist’s Society Club celebrated black history month by putting up collages in the library on February 12 featuring prominent black figures . 

Club co-president sophomore and project creator Mindy Luo was inspired by the work of prominent black artist Kehinde Wiley, known for his portraits of African-Americans that often incorporate a floral background. His most famous work is former president Barack Obama’s presidential portrait.

While some of the work incorporates Wiley’s themes, the show features a range of styles. “It was a lot of fun to make it our own and to represent our figures in our own style,” said club member junior Bia Dutra e Mello.

The club met during lunch the previous week to research their subjects and plan their collages. “It was a really good time to bring people together and learn about famous black figures in history,” said co-president junior Mia Travis. “It was very productive and well-thought out, and everyone worked really hard.”

“I liked this project mixed with our black history month books because it adds another dimension to the display,” said librarian Sarah Morgan. “The images tell the story in a different way than words in a book.”

According to Travis, the club wants students to be reminded of the extent that diversity contributes to “the history of our nation” when they see the library display.

The club also plans on doing more interactive projects in the future that will both incorporate art and inform the student body. “It’s not just for the members of the club to explore and express themselves, but it’s also for the people who will walk through the library and learn something from our work too,” said Luo.

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