Visiting Artist Series

 

Born and raised in Lebanon, Matar moved to the U.S. in 1984. As a Lebanese-born Palestinian/American artist and mother, her cross-cultural experience and personal narrative inform her photography.

Rania Matar’s work has been widely published and exhibited in museums worldwide, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Carnegie Museum of Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, and more. A mid-career retrospective of her work was recently on view at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, in a solo exhibition: In Her Image: Photographs by Rania Matar. She recently curated “Louder Than Hearts”, a group exhibition of women from the Arab World and Iran at the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC. She is a Guggenheim 2018 Fellow. 

Matar has published four books: SHE, 2021; L’Enfant-Femme, 2016; A Girl and Her Room, 2012; Ordinary Lives, 2009. She is working on her upcoming book: “50 Years Later: Where Do I Go?”, 2026. 

Read the artist statements about each of the exhibits: 

2024: Joan Hall "Take Another Road to a Better Place"

Joan Hall’s expansive mixed media sculptures reflect her deep connection to and concern for the Earth’s oceans. A lifelong sailor, Hall uses her art to address climate change and the human impact on marine environments. From her home and studio in Jamestown, Rhode Island, Hall sees the effects of climate change firsthand – the increasing plastic pollution infesting waterways, the appearance of invasive algae, and the subsequent loss of native aquatic species, all of which disrupt delicate and vital ecosystems.

Hall focuses on the use of handmade paper to shape the undulating wave-like forms of her sculptural pieces. Vibrant pigments, often in the form of pulp, color her pieces in hues that mimic destructive algae. Hall’s work also incorporates various printmaking techniques, using plastics and assorted trash found on local beaches to create collagraphic printing plates. The resultant prints are a beautiful but brutal reminder of humankind's role in widespread oceanic pollution. Hall’s goal is to initiate a conversation about the deterioration of our greatest resource – water, in the hope that her message yields positive change.
Read a recap of the event here. 

2023: Opal Ecker DeRuvo "Touch and Recognition"

"Touch and Recognition" features a decade of prints and photos by transfeminine artist Opal Ecker DeRuvo. From traditional printmaking to experimental photo processes, the exhibition captures their exploration of personal scenes, self-portraiture, and intimate moments with loved ones. DeRuvo, initiated into printmaking at 14, earned a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, followed by six years as a collaborative printmaker in Norwalk, CT. Their MFA from Yale delved into the intersection of photography and printmaking history. DeRuvo's work has graced venues like the International Print Center of New York and the Westmoreland Museum of Art. With a book published in Germany and public art commissions in New Haven and Massachusetts, DeRuvo now resides in Brooklyn, New York.

Cedric “Vise1” Douglas is an Artist, Designer, and Social Interventionist. He has created artwork around Boston for more than two decades. Much of his work aims to engage the audience in meaningful conversations and document powerful moments in history. His recent project, “The Street Memorial Project,” is a collection of work exploring police brutality and racial injustice. His other projects include “The People’s Memorial Project,” a pop-up public video projection installation addressing controversial public monuments, and the “Tools of Protest” project, where printed rolls of caution tape reading “I can’t breathe” and “Don’t shoot” are passed out to protesters. His work has been exhibited across the United States and in Colombia. He is the Creative Director of The Up Truck, a mobile arts lab created to engage and connect with underserved communities in Boston through art and creativity. Douglas has been an artist-in-residence at Northeastern University and was Emerson College’s first public artist-in-residence. He grew up in Grove Hall and then Quincy with his three siblings.
Read a recap of the event here.