Sofía Benitez. Still from the video “Stand By Me”.
On the evening of May 4, 2018 a group of five graduating seniors under the advisorships of Professors Heesok Chang and Molly Nesbit in Vassar’s Media Studies Program presented multimedia installations as part of their theses requirements in Van Ingen Hall: in the Art Library Stacks and the former Visual Resources Library. Projects were presented by Sophia Benitez, Delphine Douglas, Lena Redford, Joseph Simon and Sixing Xu. These multimedia micro-utopias variously consisted of sounds, still and moving projections onto flat surfaces and objects, screen images, and texts, intentionally contextualized by the physical spaces in which they were exhibited such as the Art Library study carrels. Visitors were presented with a map locating each installation, and the presenters were available at their installations for comments and questions. A lively audience consisted of curious students, faculty, and people who had come to campus especially to see the exhibition/happening. The projects were co-investigative: where media were deployed as self-interrogating research-objects to examine concepts of subjectivity and interactivity in a fluid universe shaped by digital experiences. Collective areas of inquiry included the impact of the digital image on art and life, time and history, friendship and relationships, embodiment and gender, space and boundaries. Drawing energy from their surroundings, the projects were activated by the space of the library, and in turn activated the library space in a charged circuit of meaningful, self-reflective, and creative harmonies, resonating with one another in a collective effort where the the library was shown to offer new and progressive possibilities of embodiment and habitation.
Images
Heesok Chang, Molly Nesbit, and exhibit visitors viewing a video by Joseph Simon
Joseph Simon, Sixing Xu, Delphine Douglas and Sofía Beritez view Sixing Xu’s installation in Carrel 17 of Stack III of the Art Library
Still from Delphine Douglas’s video “Beyond the Speculum” installed in Carrel 29 of Stack II of the Art Library
Art Librarian Thomas Hill visiting Sixing Xu’s Installation in Stack III of the Art Library
Projections from Sixing Xu’s installation in Stack III of the Art Library
VIdeo Still from “Movement Three” by Sophía Beritez
Artist Antoine Robinson experiencing Sixing Xu’s installation in Stack III of the Art Library
Videos
— Video of visitors to Sixing Xu’s installation in Stack III of the Art Library
— Video from Delphine Douglas’s installation
— Video of combined projects by Joseph Simon, Sophía Beritez, and Lena Redford installed in the Screening Room of the old Visual Resources Library in Taylor Hall