The 5&Under exhibit at the START Gallery in Reynolda Village runs from February 8 to March 3 and marks the fifth anniversary of the gallery’s initiative to bring art department alumni, from both studio art and art history, back to Wake to share their art and their stories. The project began because the gallery aims to have the exhibit be an opportunity for alumni to share their stories of being creative in the professional world as many Wake Forest students begin the search for these kinds of jobs.
This year, the gallery focuses on the work of two artists, Bentrice Jusu and Emma Hunsinger. Bentrice Jusu builds four-dimensional interactive sculptures that aid in bringing her documentary work to life. As a survivor of the 2016 Pulse Night Club Massacre, she began the “Potential Project” which focuses on her and her community’s own “Art of Becoming” through trying make the most every moment and pursuing one’s passion. The installation features multiple screens where visitors can sit down and watch short documentaries put together featuring Jusu’s photography, audio, and visual work focusing on struggles with poverty, constructed gender roles, and identity. Separated into categories of “Consume,” “Create,” and “Change,” Jusu’s installation is a poignant portrayal of her life and community’s struggles, but also the potential they hold for growth.
Emma Hunsinger is a comic artist also working in publishing and advertising. She sees her comics as a way of communicating important ideas and tones particularly prevalent in today’s society. Carrying a sarcastic and ironic tone, Hunsinger’s work is for the exhibit is strikingly funny, approaching topics we might not always be comfortable discussing in an entertaining way. Her style is accessible and relatable bringing a lighter tone to the exhibit juxtaposed with Jusu’s more serious but hopeful work.
One of Hunsinger’s Pieces
The START Gallery’s 5&Under exhibition is an important showcase of successful Wake Forest alumni in an often difficult field making an impact. Bentrice Jusu and Emma Hunsinger’s works are moving and insightful, l and I absolutely encourage others to get a look firsthand! Admission is free, and it is only a short walk from campus in Reynolda Village!
Photos courtesy of:
http://sparkaction.org/sites/sparkaction.org/files/image/all/bentrice.jpg
http://startgallery.wfu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/5Under-image1.jpg