Students enrolled in Wheaton’s “Arts in Ireland” program over this past summer received recognition on Friday, Oct. 17, during an hour long showcase in the Wheaton Mars Arts and Humanities building. The art and writing selections, created during their trip to Ireland, are still hanging in Meneely and available for the campus community to view.
One student, Darcy Alder ’27, wrote the following artist statement about her exhibition titled, “Sea, Swallow Me.”
“As I grew up, I was surrounded by strong and inspirational women who taught me about feminism and what it means to be a woman. Over time, I’ve defined these ideas in my own terms and allowed it to be a large part of my life and identity, not only as a person but also as an artist. The majority of the art that I create features women or covers various themes of feminism or womanhood; my exhibition, titled “Sea, Swallow Me,” is no different.
The title “Sea, Swallow Me” derives from a song by the Cocteau Twins of the same name, something that was a huge inspiration for the project. Coming to the Burren, I was immediately drawn to the ocean. I connect the vision of the sea as a woman, representing femininity. The violent crashing of the waves at shore juxtaposed with the calm waters further at sea reminded me of female rage and the process of change and growth. And then, on my first morning here, I pulled “The Empress” tarot card, representing the divine feminine, creativity, and nature. It was a perfect trio of concepts to guide me. “Sea, Swallow Me” is about the development of a woman, exploration of sexual identity, and growth.”
Follow Alder’s art Instagram account at: @extraterrestrialclementine.
