{"id":530,"date":"2017-10-27T15:39:04","date_gmt":"2017-10-27T15:39:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.drurymirror.org\/?p=530"},"modified":"2017-10-27T15:39:04","modified_gmt":"2017-10-27T15:39:04","slug":"shes-back-world-traveling-student-debuts-art-exhibition-about-refugee-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/2017\/10\/27\/shes-back-world-traveling-student-debuts-art-exhibition-about-refugee-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"She\u2019s back! World-traveling student debuts art exhibition about refugee crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Article by Danielle Wheelan<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the past year, Senior Bre Legan has travelled across the world. Now, she\u2019s back and telling of her travels and observations in a new art exhibition, \u201cWe Are The Pigeons,\u201d located in Drury\u2019s C-Street Gallery.<\/p>\n

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Bre Legan. Photo by Wheelan.<\/p><\/div>\n

Legan is a triple threat: majoring in writing, photography and graphic design. Much of her academic inspiration stems from her study abroad experience in Florence, Italy where she spent the 2016-2017 academic year at Santa Reparata International School of Art (SRISA).<\/p>\n

She describes Florence as a small and densely populated city, so much so that, \u201cit is difficult to find places to relax and breathe.\u201d Needing a quiet space to spark her creativity, she discovered Ponte Santa Trinita, a lesser known bridge of Florence, and it became her favorite spot for thought. She began to people-watch and befriended an African refugee named Stefan, whose job was to sell items to tourist.<\/p>\n

During their first conversation, he spoke, \u201cWe are the pigeons. My brothers and sisters here, we are the pigeons. They are in the same family as doves, but they are hated vermin. We try and try to get by, but in the end, no one will give us a chance. We are hated.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was this small interaction that forever changed Legan\u2019s life and her perception of refugees. According to her, 8.2% of Italy\u2019s population is of legal immigrants and that number can be greatly increased if to include illegal immigrants, as well. Italy is a peninsula surrounded by the Tyrrhenian and Mediterranean seas, making it a prime access point for refugees wishing to escape their civil war-struck countries.<\/p>\n

With this new insight, Legan began to open her mind (and heart) to the refugees on the bridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made it a point to get to know these people I\u2019d been surrounding myself with. I spent the rest of my time in Florence getting to know this tight-knit community of refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers,\u201d said Legan.<\/p>\n

The community gave her a new focus for art and awareness of global politics. Her exhibition will feature images all shot in Florence, depicting the people and scenes in which she had profound interactions with surrounding the refugee community. There will also be text.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of the images are accompanied by narratives collected from the people I interacted with, further connecting the pieces together and giving a broader and humanistic approach to the show,\u201d added Legan.<\/p>\n

Legan didn\u2019t spend all her time abroad in Italy. Before her time at SRISA, she spent a summer in India as a global communications intern at Cross-Cultural Solutions. She also spent much of her time abroad backpacking across Europe.<\/p>\n

Even though Legan is happy to be back at Drury, she finds herself wanting to still travel. After graduation, she plans to return to Eastern Europe to help develop art gallery exhibits about the effects of a post-communist society on a millennial generation. She is also working to complete a Fulbright application.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe exist in such a bubble here, and I find myself increasingly at odds with this. I think studying abroad has shown me that I don\u2019t necessarily need formal graduate level education; rather, I need life experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

A reception to announce the exhibition will be held Nov. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the C-Street Gallery. If unable to attend, viewing will be available until Nov. 26. Gallery hours include: Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.<\/p>\n

Everyone is invited to attend.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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