In collaboration with the San Diego Repertory Theatre, Platt College San Diego School of Multimedia Design will celebrate the opening of its “Self-Impressionism: Unearth the Spirit” exhibit, a collection of more than 50 paintings, graphic designs, and photographs on Saturday August 29 from 6-8 PM at the Lyceum in Horton Plaza. Curated by Nicole Lewis, the show will run through September 13, closing night for the current theatrical production Violet.
“The art show in the Lyceum lobby very much ties in to what’s happening onstage in the award-winning play Violet,” says Lewis, who is an instructor at Platt College. “Violet is disfigured as a young girl and later goes on a quest to be healed. She dreams of being beautiful, so I asked our student artists to delve beneath the surface ideas of beauty and journey into the heart and mind of their own psyches to create self-portraits that challenge the way the world sees us, and even the way we see ourselves.” The result: a montage of artistic notions that explore individual awareness through various media of visual art, graphic design, digital photography, collage, painting, and other multimedia techniques.
“They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but what if the beholder is viewing through a lens that excludes African American features from the ideal of beauty? It is important that all people, especially African American women, embrace who they are and not measure themselves to what society may view as the beautiful norm,” she says. “While the show does not solely feature African American artists, the inspiration for the show is definitely influenced by my experience in the world as an African American woman.” Lewis will also feature her own photography, a self-portrait entitled “Dancing in the Moonlight.”
At the opening reception, guests will be treated to the eclectic sounds of Afrojazziacs, a self-described African-Latin-jazz funk-punk band. Light refreshments will be served.
“At Platt College we are always creating opportunities for students to show their work and get feedback from the public because this helps prepare them for success after graduation,” says Platt Chairman Bob Leiker. “We are committed to providing a rigorous curriculum that includes real-world experience that prepares students to gain meaningful employment and excel as multimedia arts professionals in the future.”
