Graphic Design student Anita Emokpae is the artist behind the GSU’s new mural
Anita Emokpae’s mural in the GSU. Emokpae, a sophomore in the College of Fine Arts, painted the new mural, depicting two people whose hands are connected by a thin gold twine. HUI-EN LIN/DFP PHOTOGRAPHER
Graphic Design student Anita Emokpae is the artist behind the GSU’s new mural
This article was first published in The Daily Free Press on April 28, 2023. By Bikrant Sabharwal
Excerpt
Leaving a bold impression as you enter the second floor of the George Sherman Union, a painting depicts two people whose hands are connected by a thin gold twine, a stand out amongst the bleak aesthetics of the GSU.
Anita Emokpae is a sophomore in the College of Fine Arts at Boston University and the mural’s painter.
Emokpae has had a connection to art since her childhood. Her parents started putting her in classes, and it sparked a passion within her — one that carried her to major in it in college.
Her first public project was an exhibition she did with the Institution of Contemporary Art in Miami alongside other high school students.
While most of her works lie in the graphic design sphere now, she also focuses on digital portraits. Emokpae thinks “people are an interesting way to tell stories.”
“A lot of my subjects are people and I like to focus more on family, family members, portraiture, female sexuality. Those are what I gravitate to in my art,” she said.
This focus of hers came out with the mural that she crafted at the GSU. The mural depicts her message of Black beauty for all to see. She was able to complete the mural within one day, spending several hours on her iPad to design it.
The mural was a “last-minute” opportunity for Emokpae. She saw it through a mailing list and applied for the spot the night before it was due. Now that it’s installed, the reaction has been positive.
I really want to focus on the beauty of Blackness in my art. And so that’s kind of the whole message behind it.
“People have congratulated me and my family, like even relatives I haven’t talked to in a while,” she said. “Faculty have noticed as well. So, it’s really supportive and congratulatory.”
One such student was Miguel Silva, a freshman in the College of Engineering, who said he “loves seeing art everywhere” — particularly in the GSU — and Emokpae’s piece gives him “a lot to think about.”
“I think it represents hope, perseverance or facing adversity because on one hand, the one on the right looks like he is suffering while the one on the left looks really hopeful,” Silva said.
Michael Kubeisy, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, had a similar reaction, saying it adds to the diversity of the GSU.
“I like how we have more diverse artwork in BU,” Kubeisy said. “I think it makes BU seem more interesting, in my opinion. I think this piece is really nice and really beautiful, and it’s a nice add.”
BU Arts Initiative Window Installations
BU Arts Initiative welcomes submissions from graphic designers or digital artists to display work in the BU Arts Initiative office windows! These large installations above the GSU stairwell are highly visible and a great way to exhibit work. The graphic in the space is changed each semester and students can submit their work through the BU Arts Initiative website.