The Slocumb Galleries at ETSU are currently home to a conceptually dense and visually striking new solo exhibition showcasing multiple students’ work titled “Beast of Burdens.” This exhibit, put together by Graduate Assistant of the Department of Art and Design Bailey Adkins, is described as the culmination of three years of “intensive research spanning art history, feminist theory, and animal behavior,” and will be showcased until April 3.
Ms. Adkins explained that the vision for the show was to “create an immersive space containing images and objects that encourage the viewer to evaluate the connections they form between objects, gender, and people.”
Conceptually, the main thread connecting all of the works in the show is the questioning of power. This is communicated through empathetic paintings of figures and animals, reconfigurations of iconic symbols of queer sexuality, and material references to the consumption of female bodies in media.
“The warmth of the pieces in the gallery space is something that I think sets it apart, definitely something I’d encourage people to experience in person,” said Adkins.
Because this is a solo show, the selection process was highly intuitive and managed by the space available of the gallery.
“It really came down to what I could fit comfortably in the gallery space, and what spoke to the large majority of the other pieces,” Adkins said. “The simple fact of having more eyes on [the students’] work increases the chances of a piece really sticking in someone’s psyche.”
In a time of political unrest, the exhibition stands firm in its refusal to simplify complex themes for the sake of comfort. When discussing the idea of making challenging work more “digestible,” Adkins had one thing to say.
“As an individual, I am of the firm belief that artwork should never be made more ‘digestible’ or ‘easy’ to encounter for the audience, at least not on the creator’s end. Artists do not have an obligation to create work that is comfortable to viewers to consume; it’s simply not our job.”
Adkins emphasized that making explicit, controversial work is an important avenue for change and that there is immense virtue in addressing confrontational themes head-on.
Students from all departments at ETSU are encouraged to engage with the works and support the Department of Art and Design. For more information about how to support the Department of Art and Design or see the next exhibit similar to this, feel free to contact Bailey Adkins herself at adkinsb3@etsu.edu.
