School of Art Seeks Clothing Donations for International Performance Art Program

The School of Art in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is inviting the U of A community to support an international preview performance at the "world's art Olympics," the Venice Biennale, through a campus-wide clothing drive happening now until Friday, May 1. 

Faculty and students from the School of Art have been selected to travel to Venice, Italy, in early May to executre their collaborative project, 1922 Revisited, a preview performance program split over multiple days. The program is curated by assistant professor Janine Sytsma and in partnership with Third Space Art Foundation and the European Cultural Centre, among many others, including local partners like Cynthia Post Hunt, who serves as the Momentary's curator of performance. 

The project for which donations are being requested features a performance by acclaimed Nigerian artist Victoria Udondian, whose work uses second-hand clothing and textiles to explore identity, labor and the global circulation of materials. Previous examples can be found on her site. Garments will be incorporated directly into Udondian's live performance, transforming U of A members' donated clothing into a large-scale, movement-based installation that reflects shared histories and cultural exchange.

Donation details: Community members are encouraged to donate gently used, loose-fitting dresses, shirts and pants of any color or texture. Donations will be accepted from Monday, April 27, through Friday, May 1, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the administrative suites in the Studio + Design Center (SDCR) near M.L.K. Boulevard at the front desk (a representative will direct guests to the donation area) or at the Fine Arts Center in office #116 (FNAR) on campus. Students seeking service hours will be able to secure any necessary signatures or proof at the time of donation. More information is included on HogSync.

The university was asked to be a contributor to this specific performance because of its commitment to arts access and sustainability both in the state and in the international art community. Organizers note that this initiative will connect the U of A campus with the world's oldest art exhibition and groundbreaking contemporary art being shown in Venice, Italy. 

About the Program: 1922 Revisited - curated by SoA assistant professor Janine Sytsma with assistance from SoA students and collaborators across the world - revisits a 1922 Biennale exhibition of African sculpture, reexamining its historical context and amplifying contemporary perspectives from artists across Africa and its diasporas. Photos of the donated items being used in the performance piece will be shared after the performance. 

Questions about donations can be directed to Janine Sytsma at sytsma@uark.edu or Elizabeth Muscari at eamuscar@uark.edu.