MCR Art Exhibition

*Arts & Culture Officer Kira Mulcahy with MCR President Amaury Genovese at the Friday morning staff launch of the MCR Art Exhibition*

Amaury Genovese (2023 DPhil Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics), MCR President, writes:

What is a student if not an artist in their discipline? The MCR, beyond its social purpose, is a community that fosters self-expression. In this context, art becomes a natural outlet for such academic and personal creativity when nurtured attentively — this has thus been the focus of the MCR this year.

*The MCR Art Exhibition in the Pusey Room before the Saturday JCR & MCR opening*

For years now, we have taken a back seat in the Keble Arts Festival (KAF). Thanks to the efforts of our Arts & Culture Officer, Kira Mulcahy (2023 DPhil Inorganic Chemistry), this year marked the return of the MCR’s participation in KAF with the MCR Art Exhibition — finally channelling our artistic outlet.

Throughout Hilary Term, the MCR community was called upon to submit their artwork for the exhibition. This culminated in a three-day event, running from Friday of Week 6 to the Sunday of Week 7. Kira commented: “Given that the MCR had not contributed to the Keble Arts Festival since pre-Covid, this seemed a wonderful way to both restore our contribution and display the diverse range of artistic talent within our community.”

Twenty-five students across all disciplines and degrees graciously lent their art to the MCR for display. We proudly celebrated their outstanding talent with the wider College community, both on Friday morning for academic and non-academic staff, and on Saturday evening for the JCR and the MCR.

*‘High Tea(Rex) at the Liddon’ by Paige Norton-Edwards (2023 MSc Chemical Biology)*

Although both events were successful, the academic and non-academic staff opening was unique in its reach within the KAF. We are so very thankful to have shared this moment with those who, through tireless dedication to the College, have made it such an inspiring place to be a part of. Thank you to everyone who joined us on this occasion.

The MCR Art Exhibition was made possible thanks to generous support from the Keble Association. The KA has been a pillar of the MCR this year; the community is grateful to all alumni who have contributed. We would also like to recognise the unwavering support of the Academic Director of The H B Allen Centre, Dr Ian Archer, during the organisation of the event.

Speaking of the complexity of organising such an event, Kira said:

“Closer to the event, the focus shifted to the best way to display each individual artwork. Photo prints were ordered in different sizes and pictures tested in the different abandoned frames we’d rescued from across the MCR sites. All the prints needed arranging and sticking onto mountboards, and title cards printed for each artwork. Finally, everything had to be carried from The H B Allen Centre to the main site and up the stairs to the Pusey Room, where we tidied away tables and chairs and arranged the room for the exhibition. The final few days were extremely busy, and I wouldn’t have survived them without a huge amount of help and support from other MCR members.”

This was a great opportunity for the MCR to reaffirm its ambition to place art at the forefront of our activities. Throughout the year, Kira has organised weekly events, Arts & Crafts, for MCR members to express their artistic side. We’d like to express our gratitude to the Chaplain Max Kramer and Chaplain Intern Hollie Goodwin for supporting these Arts & Crafts event. We’re proud to have fostered such a creative MCR, which would not have been possible without the continuous support of College.

There is no art show without a community — we’d like to thank all MCR members who contributed to the exhibition, both through their art displays and their help in the organisation process. The MCR is very much indebted to Kira and the team.

Following this artistic momentum, we will be framing and displaying some of the artwork in the MCR spaces, as well as transforming some into clothing memorabilia.

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