Image in header courtesy of Mia Cross
Brianna is a junior majoring in Socio-Cultural Anthropology and minoring in Art History at Boston University. Her hometown is in the suburbs of Long Island, New York, just a short train ride away from Manhattan. She hopes to become involved in diversifying representation in the arts, and is passionate about chocolate, cheese, and climate change.
Q&A
What inspires you? Traveling- There’s nothing more exciting to me than discovering a new city. From people watching to food and architecture, it’s a humbling and motivating reminder that there are so many things the world has to offer.
Do you make art? Acrylic and oil painting bring me so much joy, but I mainly sketch where the free time in my busy schedule allows. I also love taking photographs of the places I’ve been, and I am always fascinated by the relationship between architecture, lights, shadows, and intersecting lines.
Is there another form of making/creating that you love? Favorite hobbies? This past year I have become more involved in dance. For around 10 years when I was younger I practiced ballet, tap, jazz and musical theater. I’ve been in the process of reconnecting with that passion through traditional and modern dances with my school’s Filipino Student Association. I also love to fill up journal pages with poetry that will hopefully someday be seen by eyes other than my own.
How did you first get involved in the arts? My earliest childhood memories include singing along to Les Miserables and Wicked in the car with my parents before I even understood the storyline of the words I was singing. From there my love for the arts developed into theater as well as visual arts, particularly in high school when I discovered that I was actually good at these things. My dad is also very artistic and always encourages me to cultivate those talents.
What is your favorite public art piece in Boston?
My favorite public art piece in Boston is probably the Graffiti Wall in Central Square, Cambridge. It is such a concentrated area of raw expression, and I love how often it changes. In addition to it being a “safe space” for street artists, the art there is beautiful in and of itself.
What is your favorite place in Boston?
My favorite place in Boston is the Charles River Esplenade againt the backdrop of the city skyline and the Zakim bridge. It is uniquely beautiful during every season, but especially during the Spring when everything starts to bloom again, and the pink flower petals float around in the breeze.
What’s the coolest art-related happening that you’ve seen in Boston recently? I recently saw a very powerful traveling exhibition at the Tufts University Art Gallery, Walls Turned Sideways, that showcases the injustices of the incarceration system. It can be a very controversial show, and I admire it for the hard conversations it sparks about issues that cannot be seen as black and white. I was also very moved by the ICA’s migration exhibition, When Home Won’t Let You Stay.
