The U of A Museum is excited to host an opening reception for three new student exhibitions on the 5th floor of Old Main (by the main staircase) at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, April 8.

Working alongside museum staff and utilizing collection materials, chemical engineering major Raziel Hernandez, poultry science and accounting double major Ellis Freel and U of A alumna Jamie Bradley, along with students from an Honors College Forum, recently curated three distinct projects. They will be on view through March 2023.

Exploring material culture, personal photography and the history of agricultural technology, the exhibits cover a variety of topics. Learn more about each below and stop by the opening reception to see them in person!

Artifacts - In Fall 2021, the Honors College Forum ARTIFACT explored objects inside and outside museums, (re)considering the material world around them. Utilizing museum objects and personal materials, the students co-curated this exhibit alongside U of A Museum staff. The students include: Jess Carroll, Alison Fong, Nikki Gross, Harper Haynes, Carly Lidzy, Harrison Lowe, Lane Lunsford, Ella Scurlock and Lauren Stephens.

Their display features seemingly random objects, but there is more than meets the eye: "We as humans have inscribed them with meaning and value. They are expressions of self, community and the dedication and passion that drive us in life."

Nobody is a stranger - Senior chemical engineering major and international student Raziel Hernandez presents a selection of her photography.

"I went back to my home country - Panama - last summer mainly because I missed home. I carried my camera everywhere I went in the country, especially in my hometown - La Chorrera. … This compilation of pictures is a visual representation of a community that does not know the meaning of a stranger. Everybody is friendly if you are respectful, and everybody has a story to tell if you are willing to listen."

Agricultural Technology - Poultry science and accounting double major Ellis Freel and U of A alumna Jamie Bradley co-curated this history exhibit utilizing a selection of artifacts from the museum, many of which were donated by departments in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

Museum staff look forward to recognizing the effort each student put into making these displays possible!

The U of A Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing Earth's diverse cultural and natural history inclusively for Arkansans and all through active research, education and outreach. The museum is an administrative unit of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.