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Art exhibit “Inside Out” hangs on the walls by the stairs of the SUB. An addition to this exhibit was previously displayed by the Center of the Universe weeks prior.

Art exhibit “Inside Out” hangs on the walls by the stairs of the SUB. An addition to this exhibit was previously displayed by the Center of the Universe weeks prior.

Inside Out: UNM uses art as medium for social change

A global art initiative that has gained popularity all over the world has arrived at UNM to shed light on various social issues on campus.

Megan Jacobs, a professor in the Honors College, and students from her Social Transformation Through Art class have recently taken part in the Inside Out Project, a worldwide endeavor led by French photo-artist JR, who works to “transform messages of personal identity into works of public art,” according to the project’s website.

JR won the TED prize in 2011, a $100,000 grant given to individuals who strive to affect the world in a positive way. With his earnings, JR created the project, which in four years has become a social phenomenon, enlisting people in over one hundred countries in emphasizing citizens and social issues through art.

The individual subjects of Inside Out are conveyed through series of blown up black and white photographs, which are then placed in public areas. From Nepal to Mexico to Palestine, the project has crossed oceans and borders alike.

Now, UNM has joined the list of groups around the world using the project to inspire social change.

“I’ve been following JR’s work for awhile,” Jacobs said. “His work with the Inside Out Project is such an interesting concept. In teaching the class, I thought it’s a perfect marriage between all these ideas, about how people can use photography as a tool to empower their communities and recognize people who are under represented.”

The first UNM installation was titled “Universal” and featured a set of black and white portraits of individuals on campus; either survivors or condemners of sexual assault, the differentiation of which is central to the piece.

“We want to highlight people who’ve been assaulted, and we want to show everyone that it’s universal,” said Honors College student Sierra Venegas. “Anyone could be a part of that, and that was part of the decision to put the piece up next to the Center of the Universe.”

Venegas’ classmate Celine West explained that the setting of the artwork had a lot to do with the message itself.

“We chose the Center of the Universe because we wanted it to be the center of attention,” West said. “It’s also representative in that the issue of rape and sexual violence is central to, not only UNM, but to everyone’s life in some way. It happens to a lot of people, it’s something we need to take a stand against.”

“Universal” has since been taken down. The second installation, “the Refugee Project”, is being displayed on the east side of the SUB.

Working in collaboration with the UNM Refugee Outreach program, “the Refugee Project” brings awareness to the migrants of New Mexico. Aydan Sparks, a sophomore pre-pharmacy major, helped create the work, which Sparks said focuses on diversity.

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“We’re trying to bring awareness to the melting pot of Albuquerque and how there are immigrants all around us,” Sparks said. “There are migrants from the Philippines, Mexico and Venezuela all featured on the project to highlight where they’re from and the stories they have to offer.”

To learn more about the Inside Out Project, click here.

For UNM’s participation on the project, click here.

Audrin Baghaie is a culture reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.

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