EAST LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — You’re really going to want to see this — even if the exhibit is called “Blind Spot.”
“Blind Spot,” the new installation by artist Stephanie Syjuco, makes its debut on Saturday at the MSU Broad Art Museum. The opening reception is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Works from Syjuco’s exhibit will join the museum’s existing collection of more than 10,000 pieces of a wide array of art from around the world.
“Blind Spot” is a collection of 19th and early 20th century photographs that Syjuco digitally altered by erasing certain features, creating the “blind spots” for which the exhibit is named.
The term “blind spot” has several different meanings. It can refer to areas that are not in our field of vision, or it can refer to people failing to see their own biases.
Both definitions are important to Syjuco, as her art seeks to bring awareness to issues of “erasing” people in the past and present.
Broad Art Museum assistant curator Rachel Winter said one of Syjuco’s main historical interests is about the United States and its foundational beliefs and myths.
“The other main interest is how the United States colonized the Philippines in the early 20th century, and how that is left out of the history books, and how that colonization is unknown and sometimes difficult to piece together, which she aims to do for her work,” Winter said.
Winter said the underlying theme of the exhibit is the artist asking about her own history and identity as a Philippine woman.
“I think those kinds of questions really transcend boundaries. So, if that’s a question you’re interested in — identity, family, and history — you can relate to what’s on display,” Winter said.
For more information about “Blind Spot,” including visiting hours, visit the Broad Museum’s website.
