Through a $750,000 gift from Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU), MSU’s College of Arts & Letters has established a Critical Race Studies Artist Residency that will bring different Artists-in-Residence to campus each year for five years to enrich the life of student experiences and the greater community by facilitating practices of inclusion through art and design as part of the Department of Art, Art History, and Design.
The Critical Race Studies Artist Residency is designed to empower artistic creativity that drives cultural transformation through a shared engagement with creative practice. The true impact of this program creates opportunities for shared experiences that embody the core values of MSU to cultivate diversity, create a positive environment, and embody inclusiveness with passion and determination.
Appointed to the inaugural positions were:
- Alejandro T. Acierto, sound & media artist
- Karen Hampton, textile artist
As part of their residency during the 2017-2018 academic year, Acierto and Hampton produced substantial public projects that engaged in critical approaches to diversity and inclusion through creative practice. They each mounted solo presentations of their work, taught two courses in the Studio Art and Apparel and Textile Design programs, and participated in outreach to the community throughout the year, working in some of MSU’s most publicly accessible spaces, such as (SCENE) Metrospace, MSU Union Art Gallery, Broad Art Museum, and Kresge Art Center, as well as locations in the greater Lansing community.
These one-year residencies are poised to catalyze connections across the Department of Art, Art History, and Design; the College of Arts & Letters; and the community to further critical discussions of race on MSU’s campus. Generous support for these residencies were made possible by the Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU).
To learn more about the artists read our article, which introduced them to the College.
Header Artwork:
Alejandro T. Acierto
Introduction (unknown subjects)
2016
framed archival photographs, silk, air
36in x 48 in
