"Glorious Days" by India Cruse-Griffin hangs in the South Lounge of the Indiana Memorial Union.
(Andrew Russell, Office of Student Life)
Students representing the Union Board, IU Student Government and theNeal-Marshall Black Culture Center selected three paintings, all by Black artists, to hang in the Indiana Memorial Union. The paintings serve as a continuation of the building’s commitment to representing the university’s student population.
“The IMU is the heart of campus, it's supposed to feel like home, and seeing more diversity in the art displayed on our walls will help more students feel at home here,” said Laurie Frederickson, a junior and Indiana Memorial Union Board president.
A group of students selected the pieces from the BUTTER Art Fair in Indianapolis in September. Funding came from alumni donations.
“The three pieces we chose from Butter really spoke to our group; we could all see them having a perfect home in the Union,” Audrey Waite, a 2023 Director of Canvas Creative Arts, said in aJohn Whittenberger Society blog for alumni. “So many pieces from the gallery stood out to us, but these three drew something special that we knew we, and every other student, needed to see in the IMU.”
The artwork is scattered through the IMU. “Glorious Day” by India Cruse-Griffin hangs in the South Lounge, “Reasons” by Kyng Rhodes is across from the dining area, and “Empowered Tresses” by Tasha Beckwith is outside the Georgian Room.
The initiative to diversify the art within the IMU began in 2020 with the aim of more accurately reflecting the diversity of the student body. This entails showcasing a broader range of artists, compositions, characters and types of paintings, Frederickson said.
“One of the pieces of feedback we had received is that black students wanted to see more art that represents black culture,” she said. “When the artists came to do an unveiling of the pieces, it was really powerful to see how touching the stories behind these paintings are.”
“Empowered Tresses” is made using oxidized steel, acrylic and latex. It depicts a Black woman’s Bantu knots, which the artist says symbolizes her journey of empowerment and self discovery.
“Empowered Tresses” by Tasha Beckwith (Andrew Russell, Office of Student Life)
"Reasons" uses vibrant colors to depict a scene featuring a Black father and son. Through his choice of colors, Rhodes brings optimism into what he describes as "complicated stories," such as those surrounding familiar relationships.
“Reasons” by Kyng Rhodes (Andrew Russell, Office of Student Life)
“Glorious Day” is a representation of women that uses warm, welcoming colors in its mixed media composition, Waite said.
An April 22, 2021, report revealed that only 2.3 percent of art pieces within the IMU were by non-white artists, and just 15.4 percent of portraits depicted non-white subjects, despite racial minorities making up about 25 percent of the student population.
The Union Board plans to continue adding diverse artworks to the building’s collection. Board members are currently working alongside La Casa and Latino Unidos to include Latinx artwork.
“Currently in the Union, there is only one piece that even slightly touches on Latino culture,” Frederickson said. “There's a lot of Latino students on our campus. And they deserve more representation than that.”
The Union Board is hoping to find Latinx art by next fall, though nothing is official.
“Going forward, I am excited to see the upcoming iterations of the initiative, making sure that campus’ physical spaces reflect the students who live here," Gabriella Couloubaritsis, former 2023 Union Board President said. “I know that the student leaders of Union Board will continue preserving and creating a dynamic campus community by effectively uplifting diverse voices and addressing the student body’s evolving needs.”
