IACT: Creativity for Tomorrow

The Institute of Applied Creativity for Transformation (IACT), in conjunction with the Center for International Programs, presents REVEAL: Citizens of the World, from March 9 through April 16 in the White Box at ArtStreet. The 12th annual Citizens of the World installation highlights students' experiences of the world in which we live through visual and expressive storytelling. The opening event will be held Thursday, March 9 from 7-8pm.

REVEAL will showcase the diverse moments or experiences University of Dayton students have that represent a turning point their personal journeys or QUEST. Showcasing these perspectives of cross-cultural interactions enables us to better understand the importance of our role as global citizens.

In the age of technology and social media, a global perspective can be formed in many ways. This installation will emphasize that global identities can be both multicultural and international, and that these experiences can happen on the University of Dayton campus, just as much as it can during an international encounter.

Adrienne Ausdenmoore, IACT Associate Director, has witnessed the evolution of Citizens of the World from the beginning. “Citizens of the World started in 2005 when two students proposed a way for UD students to share their international experiences with the campus community. The idea quickly developed into an annual photo exhibition and a series of related events. Over the years, we have seen Citizens of the World evolve from a showcase of study abroad experiences to a more inclusive design, and most recently, into the multimedia installation that it is today.”

Students were invited to submit any type of media for this year’s installation. Selected contributions range from photography to video to music and spoken word. The ten students featured in this year’s installation are: Abdulaziz Abdullah Alayed, Mary Grace Brandt, Colin Joern, Colleen McDaniel, Kevin Obergefell, Margaret Schaller, Olivia Thomakos, Jesse Thompson, Eden Williams and Victoria Young.

Victoria Young, a junior International Studies and Spanish major, has a photograph featured in REVEAL. This image was taken during a study abroad trip in Guatemala when she experienced her first earthquake and two days later a volcano. Young was surprised by this turn of events but her host family laughed at her because it was typical in their everyday lives. She learned from this encounter that “norms in our culture aren’t the same norms in other people’s culture. An earthquake and an erupting volcano would cause a lot of distress where I’m from, but there it was common.”

The opening event will feature the students who are honored in the installation, including brief student statements about the work and a live performance of the music and poetry featured in REVEAL.

The opening event will be followed by a special edition of ArtStreet’s Thursday Night Live, a spoken word night co-presented with the Write Place. Thursday Night Live is held weekly at 8 p.m. in the ArtStreet Café, which is adjacent to the White Box.

REVEAL is a continuation of the 2016-17 IACT White Box theme of QUEST, moving from problem space to creative solutions as we embark on a connected journey from one’s own selfish “I” to the need for a collaborative “we.” Hosting six world premiere installations annually, the mission of the White Box is to bring vision to reality through four dimensional (sight, sound, space and emotion) immersions that challenge social, industrial, cultural and academic perspectives.

At the Institute of Applied Creativity for Transformation (IACT) at ArtStreet, we seek to empower a forward-thinking 21st century student with the ability to confidently develop the imaginative and creative skills necessary to excel and impact today’s innovative and global workforce regardless of degree focus. Our mindset of applied creativity stems from transdisciplinary learning (the unity of intellectual frameworks beyond the disciplinary perspectives) and humanity-centered design, harnessing imagination and vision to effectively implement unexpected, innovative ideas that can change the world.

The White Box at ArtStreet is located at the intersection of Lawnview Avenue and Kiefaber Street on the University of Dayton campus. ArtStreet is open 8 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and noon to midnight Saturday and Sunday. For more information about IACT at ArtStreet, call 937-229-5101 or visit go.udayton.edu/iact.

Event Details:

REVEAL
Thursday, March 9, 2017
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
White Box at ArtStreet, University of Dayton

This event is free and open to the public.

Written by Kiersten Remster '17. Photo by Jesse Thompson '18; graphic design by Emily Hunt '17.