{"id":2673,"date":"2018-08-27T13:25:30","date_gmt":"2018-08-27T17:25:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/?p=2673"},"modified":"2019-05-22T16:51:53","modified_gmt":"2019-05-22T20:51:53","slug":"walls-of-colby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/2018\/08\/27\/walls-of-colby\/","title":{"rendered":"Walls of Colby"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the continuing goals of<\/em> The Lantern<\/span> is to\u00a0highlight Colby students\u2019 research in and engagement with the arts. In this article, recent graduate Katie Ryan \u201918 shares her online exhibition<\/i><\/em>\u00a0Walls of Colby, highlighting images of students’ dormitories as spaces of self-representation, individuality, and identity. This project was conducted for Professor Daniel Harkett’s “Writing Art Criticism” course and can also be found at\u00a0https:\/\/colbywalls.tumblr.com<\/a>. <\/em>[Please note that in accordance with the Colby Student Handbook: “Unauthorized painting; altering or damaging rooms; or actions such as creating lofts or barriers will result in service charges to return the room to its original condition, fines and\/or other consequences.”]<\/p>\n

As Colby students, we first see the spaces we live in as bare, white-walled rooms, devoid of any evidence of human presence. They feel alien at first\u2014disconcertingly empty boxes we\u2019ll inhabit for nine months, but never really own. We wage war against this unfamiliarity and temporariness through the decoration and personalization of our dorm room walls. We plaster them with the things we want to see every day, representations of self that range from photos of friends, to promotional posters stolen from across campus, to maps and poster reproductions of artworks. The empty-box feel from the first day of the year in September fades as the walls fill and our rooms become spaces of decompression and relaxation we begin to call a home. By May we\u2019ve become so comfortable in our rooms that we feel a pang of sadness as we disassemble and prepare to leave.<\/p>\n

This online exhibition presents photographs of Colby students\u2019 dorm room walls in an effort to display how Colby students curate their spaces. A call for submissions was put out to students for photos of their walls, and the result is a collection of photos that represents an array of statements of identity and individuality with different aesthetic attributes. Without knowing who the wall\u2019s \u201cartist\u201d is, we are left to consider these walls without preconception. The short titles and labels were composed by me in an effort to frame the walls as forms of artistic expression. Each wall becomes a little micro-exhibition for the individual, a presentation of the visual items and art objects they enjoy looking at. This exhibition is a chance to explore the spaces where Colby students can express themselves. Come on in and take a closer look!<\/p>\n

\u2014 Katie Ryan, Walls of Colby Curator<\/p>\n

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Text Anticipation<\/i>, 2018, paper and fabric on wall, Waterville, ME.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Colorful Thinking, <\/i>2018, paper and fabric on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Lanterns and Anime, <\/i>2018, paper, lanterns, polaroids and string lights on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Polaroids, Paintbrushes, Plants and Patron, <\/i>polaroid, paintbrushes, glass and plant against wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Frida Amongst Mere Mortals,<\/i> 2018,\u00a0polaroid, paper, tape, plant and string lights agains wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Common Ground Rules and A Fat\u00a0Stack of Books, <\/i>2018,\u00a0<\/i>paper, mirror and books against wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Wild Things: Electric Hot Tuma and Coot, 2018,\u00a0<\/i>paper, wood, and string lights on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Workin\u2019 Every Colby Photo Booth, <\/i>2018,\u00a0photo, polaroid, string, clothespins, and books against wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Pink Lemonade,<\/i>\u00a02018, photo, paper, flowers on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Third Grade Classroom Globe, <\/i>2018, fabric, photos, and paper on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Purple Mountains Majesty, <\/i>2018,\u00a0paint on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Eat, Sleep and Be Yonc\u00e9,\u00a0<\/i>2018, paper, stickers, foam and string lights on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Happy Birthday to Sea,<\/i> 2018,\u00a0<\/i>paper, string, fabric and moss on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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My only Sunshine, 2018, <\/i>paper and string lights on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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A Pet Your CA Will Let You Keep, <\/i>2018, electric tape and string lights on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Electric (Tape) Skyline, <\/i>2018, electric tape and string lights on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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People All Around the World (Literally), <\/i>photo and paper on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Sparse But Sweet, <\/i>fabric, paper and string lights on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Sports and Things<\/i>, 2018,\u00a0<\/i>fabric, paper and feathers on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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A Museum Wouldn\u2019t Hang Things So High, But This Isn\u2019t a Museum, <\/i>2018, photo, paper and string lights on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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The Outdoors, Indoors, <\/i>2018,\u00a0fabric, cork, paper, etc. on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Kalleidescope Colors on Home Depot\u2019s\u00a0\u201cColby White\u201d, <\/i>paint on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Kale, Coffee and\u00a0Kate Middleton, <\/i>2018, cork board, photo, stickers, paper and pushpins on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Wishful Thinking in Land-locked Waterville, <\/i>2018,\u00a0fabric, string lights and a hat on wall, \u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Lions and Snakes and Sharks Oh My!, <\/i>2018, paper, pushpins, polaroid, string, clothespins, and a mirror on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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F**k Art and Fine Art, <\/i>2018, paper, pushpin and a mirror on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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JFK and the Running of the Bulls, <\/i>2018, paper, photo, string and hanger on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Big Purple Tapestry and \u00a0Romeo and Juliet (The Leo Version), <\/i>2018, cork board, wood, textiles, metal and\u00a0jewelry on a wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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A Rabbit Named Frank and a Some Pints of Guinness<\/i>, 2018, fabric, stuffing, popsicle sticks, flowers and paper on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Catchin\u2019 Dreams,\u00a0Teachin\u2019 Yoga, and\u00a0Drinkin\u2019 Beer, <\/i>2018,\u00a0<\/i>paper, photo, feather and string on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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A Team of Toddlers\u2019 Art Project\u2013\u2013In a Good Way, <\/i>2018, paint, string lights and a mirror on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Finger Painting and a Giraffe(?), <\/i>2018, paint and string lights on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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A is for Alpha, B is for Branch, <\/i>2018,\u00a0<\/i>photo, paper, sticker and branch on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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I\u2019m Past Patiently Waiting and I Won\u2019t\u00a0\u201cHave Mercy,\u201d <\/i>2018, photo and paint on wall, Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Accolades and National Parks, <\/i>2018, paper and fabric on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Cascading Moments, <\/i>2018, photo, polaroid, thread, mini clothespins, and whiteboard on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Art from Inside the Colby Museum, Outside the Colby Museum, <\/i>2018, sticker, paper and thermometor on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Found: Amelia, <\/i>2018, fabric, paper, polaroid and tape on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Topographical Beauty, <\/i>2018, paper and frame on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Penobscot Pride, <\/i>2018. fabric on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Where Does Poetry Fall on the Geological Time Scale?, <\/i>2018, paper and lantern string lights on wall,\u00a0Waterville, ME, Colby College.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As Colby students, we first see the spaces we live in as bare, white-walled rooms, devoid of any evidence of human presence. They feel alien at first\u2014disconcertingly empty boxes we\u2019ll inhabit for nine months, but never really own. We wage war against this unfamiliarity and temporariness through the decoration and personalization of our dorm room walls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8593,"featured_media":2715,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[246685,99394,101973,44736],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/files\/2018\/06\/Wall-Photo-14566378_10207445096993805_906787849883861554_o.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3U3TZ-H7","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2673"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8593"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2673"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2673\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3016,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2673\/revisions\/3016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/thelantern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}