The members of Professor Margaret Bellafiore’s “Art as Activism” class took it upon themselves to spread an important message this holiday season. The students recently installed a Tree of Unity on the second floor of the Maxwell Library.
“During the semester, we had had many oral presentations and follow-up discussions on visual artists, filmmakers and songwriters who have used controversial issues as subject matter in their work,” Professor Bellafiore said. Once these discussions were through, she had the students break into groups and propose a project of their own.
Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel for the national anthem during last year’s NFL season was a contender. But ultimately, the students decided that “unity” would be an appropriate theme.
“Considering the current social climate and a society filled with discord, we wanted to shed light on the harmony of togetherness we share as a student body here at Bridgewater State University,” the students’ project proposal read.
The Unity Tree was built with sticks and yarn. Each student produced a photo of him/herself bearing a quotation having to do with unity, such as: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that,” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The tree was installed on Dec. 8. (Story by John Winters, G '11, University News)