April 3, 2024
In collaboration with the Studios at MASS MoCA and The Berkshire Immigrant Center’s Iris Residency, MCLA’s Gallery 51 will open the “MIGRITUDE” exhibition next month.
“MIGRITUDE” will be on view from June 7 to July 14 with an opening reception on June
7 from 5 to 8 p.m. featuring live music and refreshments.
In 2023, the Studios at MASS MoCA and The Berkshire Immigrant Center started the Iris
Residency to support artists in Western or Central Massachusetts who are born outside
the U.S. or identify as first or second-generation Americans. The exhibition, “MIGRITUDE”
(a word coined by featured artist Shailja Patel) showcases the work of the five selected
Iris Residency fellows - Cima Khademi, Clemente Sajquiy, Marina Dominguez, Hanna Sobolieva,
and Shailja Patel - and their different approaches to the continuous process of building
connections to both, the old and the new place.
The exhibition is guest-curated by the Iris Fellowship coordinators Carolina Porras-Monroy
& Luiza Folegatti.
“MIGRITUDE” (Kaya Press, 2010) is the bestselling book, based on the internationally
touring one-woman show, of poet, activist, and exhibiting artist Shailja Patel. The
word MIGRITUDE captures the concepts of migrant attitudes and migrants with attitude.
It represents a reclaiming of voice and power by migrants who speak for themselves.
To learn more about the Iris Residency: assetsforartists.org/iris-residency
About MCLA
At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught
by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive
on every level of their lives. In nearly every way possible, the experience at MCLA
is designed to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully
empowered to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 129-year commitment
to public education, we have fortified our commitment to equitable academic excellence.
MCLA has appeared on U.S. News’ list of Top Ten Public Colleges for nine consecutive
years, ranking No. 7 for Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for a third year. The
College's continued commitment to affordable education and economic prosperity is
reflected in its inclusion on U.S. News' list of National Liberal Arts Colleges for
Social Mobility since the organization adopted this ranking in 2019; MCLA is No. 1
in the state, No. 2 in the country, and No. 22 for National Liberal Arts Colleges.
These rankings measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell
Grants. Learn more at www.mcla.edu.
About MOSAIC
MOSAIC is MCLA’s community-serving cultural events program. MOSAIC brings people together
through acts of artistic and cultural exchange in order to learn about each other,
break through barriers to understanding, and build the commonalities that define communities.
MOSAIC presents public cultural events in the form of exhibitions, performances, workshops,
readings, lectures, and discussions. Our events are inclusive, diverse, and accessible,
and focus on the exchange between communities, artists, faculty, and students.
