2024 Recipients

Congratulations to the 2024 Albert P. Weisman Recipients.

Andre Barker - MFA Fine Arts

Shifting the Narrative
Shifting the Narrative is a series of paintings that focus on the poetic weirdness of being Black in a world with an irrational fear, hate, and misunderstanding of Black people. These works re-imagine artwork through art history by depicting them through the contemporary lens of Afro-surrealism. My paintings draw upon cinematic and theatrical visual conventions, such as dramatic lighting and frozen action, to create an emotional connection between the figures in the painting and the audience. My work shows the surreal, everyday experience of existing in our society through subjects and stories that resonate with Black people.

Madison Chain - BFA Fashion

Flesh
The world of fashion is no stranger to masking the natural human body. From corsetry to padding, clothing sells society's ideal body, and individuals try to comply with the standards given to them. Growing up with pectus excavatum, I wished I could see more people with the same condition as me. I never saw another woman with a sunken sternum and protruding lower ribs, so of course I hid what I thought didn't align with society's idea of beauty, and nearly everybody could admit to doing the same. With my project, I am creating a ten-look collection that consists of garments that highlight, and even amplify our 'imperfections' whether they are niche body issues, or features that we all have but are ashamed of.

Lorena De Leon - MFA Film and Television

Bajo El Mismo Sol
Bajo El Mismo Sol is a 15 minute short film about two mid-life strangers, Marisol and Ventura, who, during their return to their home of Puerto Rico, find themselves mysteriously drawn to each other. Grappling with the fact that she's never been able to bear a child and never will, Marisol has convinced herself that she's lost her chance at a third act of life. Ventura, a mystical stranger, is her closest semblance to home. An evening of shared mourning incites a conversation on the hidden griefs Latinos often conceal for their own survival. This is a story of lineage and legacy, inspired by the lullabies my parents sung to me: the griefs, the hardships, and the strengths of my world.

Sofie Doran Rasmussen - BFA Photography

Rodeo
Rodeo is a documentary photography project initiated in September 2023 exploring the diverse cultures, rugged determination of both animals and athletes, and the community the sport fosters. From my first rodeo in September, and at every rodeo since, the thing that has stood out to me most is the undeniable space for community and the healthy comradery the events provide. I have grown to appreciate these gatherings for much more than the horsemanship, but I've learned to see them as places of joy, family, and healing. Through a mix of portraiture, sports action, and quieter behind-the-scenes moments, this series aims to capture the essence of this historic and often forgotten sport, inviting viewers to appreciate its cultural depth, complexity, and context in our modern world.

Maya Krueger - BFA Illustration

Overlooked Moments
Overlooked Moments is a multimedia project that centers around the everyday while finding joy and gratitude for the moments that often go overlooked. The goal is to allow viewers to spend more time appreciating the small things in life; to see beauty in the mundane. The artworks use printmaking, oil painting, and other traditional media to evoke the intimate materiality that comes with handmade objects. The exploration and variety of approaches within each artwork reflect the act of looking at things through different perspectives. In Overlooked Moments I hope to instill a fulfillment, where contentment exists in simplicity.

m miller - BFA Photography

Sonder
Sonder: noun. The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. Sonder is an exploration of the feelings of isolation and loneliness that are an inherent aspect of city life. The loneliness felt in a sea of people gnaws at many of us amidst of a global pandemic, the ever increasing use of technology and the pressures of late stage capitalism. The subjects of my photographs, intentionally distanced and often framed by the structures of the city, symbolize how we are inextricably disconnected, despite physical proximity. I aim to spark a dialogue on the human experience within cities and the imperative need for genuine connection in our crowded, yet often isolating, environments.

Eesha Patkar - MFA Film and Television 

Six Weeks
9,000 miles apart, in a post-Dobbs America and a socially conservative India, two women face conflicting pressures and a lack of choice around their unexpected pregnancies. A short student film, Six Weeks tackles reproductive rights through the lens of Michelle, a teenager, raised in a religious American household, desperately seeking options, juxtaposed against Gayatri, a successful woman in India who struggles with her desire to keep her pregnancy despite cultural/societal taboos surrounding unwed mothers.

Reina Sundara - BFA Fine Arts

Family Values
In families of Asian culture, it is typical that vulnerability is avoided in the common household. Emotions are often expressed through action rather than words. Growing up in that environment, you learn to understand what the small acts mean. Through a combination of painting, graphic design and illustration, Family Values explores what the simple act of casual gambling can mean to a family like mine. 

Seniyah Tribble - BFA Dance

Ephemeral Mesmerism
Ephemeral Mesmerism is a captivating exploration of impermanence, manipulation, and the interplay between reality and artifice. This project challenges traditional audience passivity, immersing them in an experience where emotions are deliberately guided, subverting preconceived notions of completeness in performance art. Strategically placing cast members within the audience blurs the lines between spectator and participant, prompting introspection. In a brief 6-7 minute timeframe, the choreography demands active audience participation. The fusion of transparent and layered costumes metaphorically represents shifting perspectives. Multimedia elements, including projection mapping and synchronized lighting, amplify the immersive experience. With a diverse cast chosen for adaptability, Ephemeral Mesmerism transcends traditional dance, leaving a lasting imprint on both performers and audience members, inviting exploration in a moment that is both fleeting and mesmerizing.

Judson Womack - MFA Photography

Lay Us Down

This photo series is a meditation on existence and mortality as my family waits for my grandmother to pass. A predisposition for dementia compounded by tradition and internalized social expectations means my family's children inevitably struggle to settle our parents' affairs, unable to live and grow, before passing it to their own and slowly fading away themselves. Our way of being becomes our cage. Mississippi is also trapped in this cycle. Refusal to break tradition and culture has made a society where adherence is a sacrificial act of personal well-being and future generations; so repeated and compounded, we've poisoned the earth, poisoning ourselves. These images of my family and surroundings portray a wait for death in a place killing us and my waning hope of escape.