Arguably the most unfamiliar building on campus, the Art Annex sits on the outskirts of campus on the corner of Lexington Avenue and College Street. Although it is not frequently visited, guests in the Annex will be able to find something that they can relate to, whether that be a quote written on the wall or a piece hanging in one of the studios on the second floor.
The studios are assigned to art students and serve as a personal workspace. Senior Bailey Rasmussen’s studio is on the left side of the long hallway. Her studio invites the visitor in with posters decorating the walls, desks littered with her work, a leafy plant, a keyboard, speakers playing music and random sticky notes scattered about the space.
Above all of these things, one detail stands out — the most inviting aspect of Rasmussen’s studio is the raw and honest quality of her work, which will be on display in her senior art exhibit.
Rasmussen’s exhibit, titled “Fully Known,” focuses on her experience as an LGBT student at Asbury.
“It’s really not meant to be a theological statement of any kind or political statement of any kind,” Rasmussen said. “It’s more kind of a perspective thing. I think at Asbury we have more of a tendency to believe that we’re on a very homogeneous campus, and I think that that’s not true, but we pretend that it is.”
Rasmussen is familiar with the misconception among Asbury students that everyone comes from a similar background and has a similar story and faces similar struggles. Through her art, she wants to show that although the majority of Asbury students live a life that is grounded in faith, they all deal with a wide range of problems and have completely unique experiences.
“We have a lot of different opinions about different experiences that are all valid, and we’re not good at validating each other’s experiences,” said Rasmussen. “I think that’s kind of the heart of my show — just kind of a reminder to Asbury that there are so many people on this campus that are not represented and at the end of the day it’s up to us to look out for each other as this community that we all love so much and to protect each other’s humanity.”
Rasmussen is an art major with an emphasis in graphic design. Her show features posters with digital images she designed in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. A video and audio track that Rasmussen created alongside Asbury alumnus Tom Mangione will also be in the exhibit.
The art tells Rasmussen’s personal story, which she hopes will inspire others to be vulnerable in both sharing their unique experiences and validating those around them.
“I hope that people will take it as an opportunity to really see each other — like genuinely look out for each other and be vulnerable with each other, because it’s scary, but if we all have grace for each other and if we put our humanity before our ideals, then vulnerability doesn’t have to be scary,” said Rasmussen. “I can look at someone who thinks differently than I do and say ‘You’re a human, you’re valuable, and I love you, and I care for you, just because you deserve it, because you’re a child of God,’ and that applies even to people who don’t think that they’re children of God. I hope that people feel empowered to be vulnerable.”
Rasmussen’s senior show will open in the Bistro Gallery on Sept. 23, 2019. The reception is on Sept. 26 from 4-6 p.m.
