Emerson hosts bi-national, bi-lingual exhibit

Emerson College and La Universidad Nacional de Colombia presented a multimedia exhibition made by and about women from Medellín, Columbia, a city that was once known as the most violent city in the world, on Wednesday, October 26. The exhibit, called WOMEN: Medellín, debuted in a simultaneous live broadcast in both Boston and Medellín. The Emerson portion of the exhibition took place in the Bill Bordy Theater.

Emerson hosted a multimedia exhibition made by and about women from Medellín, Columbia.

WOMEN: Medellín seeks to challenge some of the stereotypical ideas of Medellín women (prostitutes, mail-order brides, and sex tourism) by showcasing diverse social, cultural, and physical contexts in which women build the city of Medellín. The exhibit features photographs, video, written word, and an interactive multimedia installation.

More than 120 students in First Year Research Writing classes at Emerson collaborated with young, emerging artists via Facebook and video conference to bring the art and the artists to Boston for the exhibit, through their organization Project Boston-Medellín (PBM). The Colombian artists were at the Emerson location of the exhibit to meet and greet the public and discuss their art. The artists’ families, colleagues, teachers, community members, and the protagonists in the artists’ documentaries and photographs, as well as other artists, scholars and city residents were together at a location in Medellín for the exhibit, where they were able to also interact with people in Boston via live video conference.

Assistant Director of the First Year Writing Program Tamera Marko directed the event with Jota Samper, whom she also collaborates with as co-directors of Duke University’s Duke Engage Program in Medellin. Marko has a Ph.D. in Latin American history and has published articles on social mobility in the Americas. Her work with PBM has garnered international recognition and has won various awards within the academic community.