New Art Installation Draws on Modern Protests
Modern expressions of social and political unrest are examined in a new piece of performance art being backed by the Metropolitan College Arts Administration program. “The Body of the People,” curated by Arts Administration Program Director Lanfranco Aceti, is a new audio-visual installation set to be unveiled September 29 at Boston’s Old South Meeting House.
To learn more, visit “The Body of the People” and see a video explaining the work, or read the exhibit announcement.
Press Release
Boston University’s Arts Administration Program Brings Protest-Themed The Body of the People Installation to Old South Meeting House this Fall
June 2016, Boston—This autumn, Boston University Metropolitan College’s Arts Administration program is bringing a highly topical piece of performance art to the Old South Meeting House, one of Boston’s most historic buildings. The Body of the People is a site-specific performance art installation, commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Cuts and supported by the BU Arts Initiative, that interweaves iconic language, singing, and visual imagery into a poetic discourse concerning current socio-political disruptions. Created by multimedia artist and educator Jeffrey Baykal-Rollins, the work draws on protests the artist has participated in and documented to create an immersive piece that questions individual and class representation in the political upheavals taking place in the United States today.
Curated by Boston University Arts Administration Program Director Lanfranco Aceti, The Body of the People will premiere Thursday, September 29, at 6 p.m., at Boston’s Old South Meeting House as part of THE SOCIAL, the International Association for Visual Culture’s Fourth Biennial Conference. As the organizing place for the Boston Tea Party in 1773, the Old South Meeting House was instrumental in the American Revolution, and provides an ideal setting for the performance.
For this work, Baykal-Rollins has created a series of drawings of protesters and compiled slogans, mission statements, and manifestos from the major protest movements in the United States today—including Democracy Spring, Democracy Awakening, and Black Lives Matter. From these documents, the artist has created a surreal and poetic text that will be delivered as an address and sung by an opera singer for the duration of the performance.
This installation is supported by some of the Arts Administration program’s most promising and entrepreneurial students, who have also created a Kickstarter to raise funds for the project. Production assistants Fei Gao, Laurel Hoffer, and Nicole O’Connor have played instrumental roles in the effort. Those seeking further information regarding The Body of the People are invited to contact Production Manager Kris Weir at krisweir@bu.edu.
About Boston University’s Metropolitan College
Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With more than 33,000 students, it is the fourth-largest independent university in the United States. BU consists of 17 schools and colleges, along with a number of multidisciplinary centers and institutes integral to the University’s research and teaching mission.
As one of the University’s 17 degree-granting bodies, Metropolitan College (MET) offers more than 70 part-time undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificate programs, providing a flexible learning environment that supports the academic, professional, and intellectual needs of working adults. Along with convenient evening classes, Metropolitan College also offers a variety of high-quality online and blended format programs. For more information, visit bu.edu/met.
About the Arts Administration program
The Boston University Arts Administration program was founded in 1993 and emphasizes excellence, creativity, economic problem solving, internationalism, and a commitment to modern technologies as core values in its curriculum. Students are prepared for the global responsibilities of the arts in the twenty-first century, and are eager to play leadership roles in visual, performing, and service organizations in the arts in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors worldwide. Learn more at bu.edu/artsadmin.