Inside Out is a global participatory public art project that “gives participants the opportunity to share their portrait and make a statement for what they stand for. It is a global platform for people to share their untold stories and transform messages of personal identity into works of public art". Please see the website for images of other participating projects across the world: (http://www.insideoutproject.net/en/about). As the website shows, people participate all across the world with a variety of messages about peace, community, social justice, and human rights.
The message my students would like to communicate is a simple one about being seen. They say that they are proud to be students at UA (many of them the first in their families) – and that universities matter because of their students. Thus, their message is simple: We are proud to be students. See us. They are thrilled at the prospect of seeing their faces publicly represented on the university campus as part of this exciting and acclaimed international art project.
48 Portraits will go up on Monday, December 9 from 8 a.m. -Noon and taken down on Wednesday.