This weekend at the photodomes, senior Alison Marshall had the opening of her senior show, Inscriptions: Contemplating Identities. A multimedia installation that includes video production, photography and sound installation, Inscriptions explores ways that identities are culturally and socially formulated. The show is segmented in three different sections that deal respectively with issues concerning body image, interracial dating and town and College relations.

As part of the show, audience members were assigned stickers on their backs that read messages such as “young,” “townie” or “college student.” Marshall explains, “The show deals with the contemplation of one’s identity. I wanted to get people to think about how they view themselves, how others view them and how they view others.”

Audience members were invited to look at the videos, listen to recorded interviews and munch on snacks that were intentionally labeled with their nutritional content. “The show got me thinking about a lot of things. I picked up something to drink, and it had been labeled with its caloric content. You can see that everything was well thought out and planned. I would say that it was more of an experience than a show because the audience was included as active participants,” first-year Elena Fitzgerald said.
Marshall divided the installation in three parts titled “Disordered Body,” “Oil and Water” and “Vacuole II.” “Disordered Body” is a video installation that deals with issues concerning body image. First-year Sabia McCoy-Torres said, “I really liked the show. The images in the first section, “Disordered Body,” were very effective in addressing the topic of body image. The space was packed and the atmosphere was wonderful. There were people everywhere talking, listening, and observing.”

With two different screens playing simultaneous images of men and women, Marshall was able to address topics like eating disorders and body perceptions. Senior Stephanie White said, “I was struck by how powerful the images were [in the body image section], and I sincerely appreciated the honesty of the images that were presented. Those images were both vulnerable and empowering at the same time.”
The second piece, “Oil and Water,” is a photo installation that depicts a photograph of an interracial couple, as seen through a vase filled with oil and vinegar. As the light from a projector hits the vase, the image transforms into one that looks distorted — concealing the original picture. Marshall explained, “In our society, we make judgments and inferences on other people’s lives that may be inaccurate.”

In preparation for Inscriptions, Marshall conducted interviews among student and town resident populations, asking them how they see the relationship between the College and the town. The recorded interviews were then arranged in the third section, “Vacuole II,” where Marshall constructed an enclosed room set up with two hearing booths and a short visual documentary of the town of Oberlin. Audience members were given an opportunity to hear the voices and opinions of both the College students and town residents.
Junior Justin Perkins said, “I enjoyed listening to the interviews, especially the responses from the town residents of Oberlin. It is important for all of us to hear their voices and perspectives. I’ve noticed that the use of the word ‘townie’ can be derogatory at times. I try to avoid it.”