Reyila Hadeer

PhD in curriculum and instruction college of education

Kresge Art Gallery | Gallery 114 | 8am – 5pm

MSU Main Library, 2 west, 360 Room | 1pm – 3pm

April 22 – April 26, 2024 

Reception: April 25 | 3 – 5 pm 

The exhibition “Wooden Stick + Flower” invites viewers to contemplate the intersections of memory, loss, identity, displacement, land(s), and inherent human desire for liberation. Born and raised in so-called China, and now living in so-called United States, the artist’s transnational lived experiences shaped her personal lens.

Drawing inspiration from her two grandmothers, the artist’s exploration delves into the visual dance that emerged from her transnational movement, revealing the symbolism of “wooden stick” and “flower” as two thematic embodiments of freedom in her ever-unfolding journey to reach home.

Through various photography techniques, the artist crafts a dreamy atmosphere that invites herself and the audience to immerse in her memories and explore different spaces beyond the tangible. By presenting shadows, reflections, and deliberately obscured facial features, she explores the intertwined relationship between surveillance and identity, questioning the boundaries and definitions of visibility within colonialism, imperialism, and modernity. Additionally, she interacts with ethnic cultural artifacts personal to her since childhood, symbolizing her relentless quest to reach home across diverse landscapes.