Q&A: Student exhibition seeks to express the commonalities that connect one to others
“Progression: The Art of Healing” by Taylor Rodriguez, art and design major with a concentration in studio art, is the latest student-produced exhibition to be hosted at UHCL Arbor North. Rodriguez, who has been a student at UHCL since fall 2015 is set to graduate this spring.
The exhibition’s opening show will Feb. 4 from 5 – 7 p.m. in Arbor North. Read the Q&A below to learn more about Rodriguez and the exhibition.
Photo by The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what motivated you to become an artist?
A: Growing up, I always loved working with my hands. I was the student that would always overdo a project in school. For example, in my physics class in high school, we were supposed to make a pinewood derby car. Most people in the class bought a derby car kit but I thought the kits were boring. I took a block of wood and hand carved a turtle out of it, then put some wheels on it and sent it down the track. I was in technical theater in high school which really gave me a foundation of 3D art.
Working with my hands and building things had just come naturally to me. When I had first graduated high school I had wanted to become a scenic designer. As time went on, my major had changed multiple times. From psychology, to philosophy to even petroleum engineering at one point but nothing really felt right. It wasn’t until my final semester of my associate’s degree that I took a digital arts class. That’s when it truly sunk in that I wanted to do art and become an artist and had really begun my journey.
Q: What is the inspiration behind your “Progression: The Art of Healing” exhibition?
A: The inspiration behind this show is really the want and need to connect with people. I’ve battled mental illness, substance abuse, and my own sexual identity since I was a teenager. I didn’t know how to reach out for help or how to speak about my emotions. I had felt alone. I wanted to make pieces that the viewer could connect with an relate to.
Even if they weren’t experiencing the same issues I was, they could still see my piece and think about their own issues and relate to me. I needed to show people that someone suffering from mental illness, substance abuse or wrestling with their sexual identity were people just like them. There are many stigmas, misinformation, and ignorance about these topics. It gave me a way to express myself and start conversations about these topics that need to be had but often are considered taboo. After I began living a sober lifestyle and getting the help I needed it. My work transitioned to a message of hope and perseverance. I want people who see my work to realize they are not alone and to never give up their fight to get better.
Q: How many pieces and types of mediums will be featured in the exhibition?
A: There are 16 pieces total. Four of the pieces are part of a series. There are over five different types of mediums.
Q: Is there a particular piece from the exhibition that stands out to you? If so, why?
A: The piece that really stands out to me is one of my newest sculptures. It’s titled “The Missing Piece”. It is a silhouette of my head that is made up of multiple puzzle pieces. Each piece has a characteristic of a successful person carved out of it and burned to accentuate the words.
The one piece that is not burned is “Sobriety.” I had always felt like I had the qualities and characteristics of a successful person, but my addictions were holding me back. I was missing the one piece that completed my puzzle and made all the other pieces better. I was missing sobriety. I have been sober for almost 11 months now and I am truly seeing the benefits and positive changes not only in my mental state, my financial stability, but in myself as a person. I’ve learned so much in these last 11 months and look forward to a lifetime of continuous growth.
Q: What do you hope those who view the exhibition walk away with?
A: I really want people to walk away with a sense of connection. Our society often focuses on the differences between people. We disconnect ourselves from those that are not like us. We often don’t realize just how much in common we have with people who are different from us. I want to show people that a gay, recovering alcoholic and addict with bipolar disorder is actually more like them than they had thought. I want people who are dealing with similar issues to walk away knowing that they are not alone. I want them to walk away with a sense of hope and perseverance. I want them to know that life is hard but is without a doubt worth fighting for.
Q: Is there anything you would like our readers to know?
A: There are many resources available for help. Organizations like To Write Love On Her Arms, Project Semicolon, The National Alliance of Mental Illness and so many more are there to help you and educate you. UHCL offers free counseling to students and spouses of students. They do individual therapy, couples therapy, group therapy, and have a psychiatrist available to prescribe medications if needed. To make an appointment contact counseling services by phone or email.
