Week 3
Welcome Back Readers,
With the first two weeks of school coming to a close and as students begin to put away their campus maps, classes begin to pick up pace. Along with classes, the amount of events on campus is increasing as well.
One thing I found particularly interesting was the Hispanic Heritage Exhibit currently on display in the Student Union from Sept. 13 to Oct. 1 in room 310. Now I know what some of our student readers may be thinking, “Great, another boring art exhibit.” Let me tell you from the perspective of a 3rd year student here at the university, this was probably one of the most entertaining and interesting things, let alone art exhibits, I’ve ever been to. The exhibit is entitled Latino Complexity: Past & Present, and it showcases multiple works by Valentin Tirado, as well as a photography exhibit and memorial to Fernando Olmo, a UCONN alum.
A few of the works which I found to be personal favorites were, “The Puerto Rican Struggle” and “The Invasion of Grenada” both of which are acrylic on canvas works by Tirado and I felt they truly captured the mentality of Latino Complexity. “The Puerto Rican Struggle” is a piece that my friends and myself found to be a bit controversial as to what exactly it depicts. Personally I see a man reaching for the star within Puerto Rican flag, giving the viewer a “reach for the stars” message. However, one of my friends says he sees a man shooting a bow towards the star, representing a struggle against something, possibly the United States or maybe just a governing body in general.
“The Invasion of Grenada” seems to be a much more weighted political piece. It depicts the island of Grenada and is residents in the bottom corner with multiple skull faced soldiers, and former president Ronald Reagan with vampire teeth, all bearing down on the island, clearly referencing US invasion of Grenada during Reagan’s term in office. The way Tirado uses color and detail in his pieces truly gives gallery goers a clear understanding into his feeling on the various subjects this exhibit touches on and overall I must say I truly enjoyed the exhibit as a whole.
Another great event coming to the University that should be a great opportunity for minority students is the SACNAS conference coming September 23, 2010 in the Student Union Room 331 from 6:00pm-8:00pm. SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) works towards increasing opportunities for minority scientists and students in the field of science. Dr. David Burgess, will be the speaker for the event, and as a Professor of Biology at Boston College I’m sure he has a lot of great insight and advice for science and minority students alike. I recommend everyone go and benefit from what will be an entertaining experience.
For more information about SACNAS visit: http://www.sacnas.org/index.cfm
Well readers, be on the look out for more upcoming events and I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the latest and greatest here at the University of Connecticut.
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