A triptych of 3 rectangular pieces of grayscale art

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) is eager to present this year’s Senior art project from Skylah Zayas, Hailey Rolon, and Matt Flanagan. ‘Synthesis: Sluts, Beasts, and Synths’ is a confrontational inquiry about love, imaginative beasts, and post-punk/industrial music. The exhibition will launch with an opening reception on Thursday, April 18^th from 5-7 pm at 51 Main St, North Adams. The reception is free of charge and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Skylah’s project on love/sex utilizes reclaimed wooden pallets reworked into an uncomfortable bed. Hand-crafted fabric upholstery and bedding features quotes harvested from participants’ experiences in relationships. “This sculpture/installation reflects emotion and experiences of modern hook-up culture from not only myself but my peers. My artwork strongly utilizes the opinions and voices in my surrounding community.”

Hailey Rolon manifests dream-like beasts that are life-sized, made from paper mâché and clay, as well as drawings. She describes her work “as an extension of myself. My art reflects the physicality of this lived experience. Most artworks become self-portraits whether I want them to be or not.”

Matt synthesizes his interpretations of post-punk and industrial music with art historical inquiry. His work bridges the gap between music and art through experimental compositions using metal scraps and other found materials. “We are all combining our external influences with our own ideas, in uncomfortable or shocking ways. The shock factor in my project is through my materials - rusty, sharp, and bizarre metal scraps.”