A student multimedia exhibition currently on display in the Visual Arts Complex explores the lives of the university鈥檚 custodial staff.
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鈥淯nnoticed: Conversations with the Custodians鈥� incorporates portraits, woodcut silhouettes, and a collection of quotations that capture the staff members鈥� unique stories.
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The idea for the exhibition began when Professor Albert Chong asked his students in Photography 3 to brainstorm projects involving social and political issues. 鈥淥ne goal of the course is to gain experience installing an exhibition,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n this case, I wanted to marry that to socially relevant issues.鈥�
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Cynthia Torres, a 抖阴旅行射 custodian enrolled in the class, presented her classmates with photos of her work environment. The class decided to collaborate to learn more about the custodians who work in the Visual Arts Complex and honor their contribution to the campus community.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 good to learn more about the world through people who鈥檝e lived all over it,鈥� Torres said. 鈥淚 hope that this project inspires other departments to recognize campus custodians for their work and for the extraordinary people they are.鈥�
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The experience helped create new connections between students and staff.
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鈥淲e got to interact with some amazing people,鈥� said Stephanie Siegel, a senior studio art major. 鈥淚f we hadn鈥檛 reached out, we wouldn鈥檛 have met them.鈥�
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鈥淚 found out that there鈥檚 a Thai custodian who is now my friend, and I also got better at using a CNC [computer numerical control] router for cutting wood,鈥� said senior studio arts major Puttichai Kupadakvinij.
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The students and custodians hosted a reception on Dec. 14 to showcase the exhibit, which will remain on the second floor lobby of the Visual Arts Complex through Jan. 11, 2016.
