The Sarahfest Fall 2024 Residency Program was held in Meek Gallery until Monday, Nov. 4. The display contained art, ranging from songwriting to visual to theater, and was free to the public.
The theme of “Opening Up: The Art of Social Engagement” was expressed with art created by a University of Mississippi student and faculty cohort. Applications began in early September, with confirmation coming early October, giving the talented artists a month to prepare. The cohort intentionally left their names off the pieces to cultivate an atmosphere of openness for them to thrive in, leaving no room for judgment.
The Sarahfest art exhibit contained visual art, creative writing, poetry, film, songwriting and theater pieces. On Sunday, Nov. 3, a craft talk and reception was held in Meek Auditorium at 2:30 p.m. by Artist in Residence, poet and educator Caroline Young. The topic was “Creating Agency Within the Academy.”
Frankie Amore, a senior music education major from Charles Town, W.V. and a pole vaulter for the Ole Miss Men’s Track and Field Team, shared about his contributions to Sarahfest.
“I got involved with Sarahfest through the music department posters and applications,” Amore said. “I am contributing music from my upcoming original album ‘Post Script.’ I think that every piece in the exhibit is so vastly different and unique in its own way that it’s hard to comparatively choose one. It is more so just what your preference and opinions are.”
Amore expanded on the opportunity Sarahfest provided for him to share his art.
“Sarahfest has given me an opportunity to open up as an artist in ways that are much more difficult to achieve independently,” Amore said. “I am very thankful to be part of the cohort and look forward to the upcoming week of events.”
In addition to Amore, integrated marketing communications major Emma Baker and theatre and film major Julia Dent were the other two undergraduate students featured in this year’s Sarafest interdisciplinary cohort.
Graduate students Alex Chand and Winshen Lui were also featured in this year’s cohort. In addition to the student members, faculty member Sara Wilkerson, an instructional assistant professor of imaging arts from Greenville, Miss., contributed a video performance visual art piece.
“I received an email with information about the artist in residence cohort and the exhibit, and I submitted my work for consideration,” Wilkerson said. “I am excited to be involved with this year’s Sarahfest and for my work to be part of a larger conversation about social engagement.”
Wilkerson spoke further about her piece.
“Growing up in the American South, I noticed the stark differences in how men and women are treated. Playing in the mud was acceptable with my male cousin until it was deemed unladylike,” Wilkerson said.
Wilkerson expanded on the theme of her visual art by elaborating the societal pressures the south places on the women who call it home.
“Women are expected to embody the ideal of the ‘Southern Belle,’ a contradictory role that demands perfection, beauty, and charm while wearing a smile. This exhausting expectation creates an unattainable standard where women must be flirtatious, yet innocent, beautiful, yet natural, feisty, yet sweet,” Wilkerson said.
