AACC invited an artist to discuss sculptures, installations and artwork that explores Indigenous-American identity on Thursday.
Anna Tsouhlarakis, an artist of Greek, Creek and Navajo heritage presented at the college as part of the “Visiting Artist Talk” event. Tsouhlarakis’s work pays homage to her Indigenous identity such as the exhibit “In Other Words: A Native Primer,” which displayed responses from people who completed a survey about their experiences as Indigenous people living in Washington, DC.
Laura Pasquini, AACC’s visual arts navigator and organizer, said the event was part of AACC’s Women’s History Month and highlighted the importance of showcasing work by women.
Tsouhlarakis said at first she had anxiety about the messages she portrayed in her art but overcame her fears and encouraged artists in the audience to do the same.
“You never know where that support and health is gonna come from,” Tsouhlarakis said. “And no, I mean, I still don’t know where that line is. And I’m scared, you know? But I would say, I’m old enough now to know that means, like, it doesn’t mean you stop trying just because you’re scared. You just have to go out and do it.”
Holly Wall, a first-year business student, said seeing Tsouhlarakis’ work showed that “you can put any idea into art.”
Wall added: “When I think of art, I very much think of like, painting or sketching. And that was, like, such a different side of art that I’d never seen.”
Vic Mackenzie, a recurrent art student at AACC who introduced Tshouhlarakis said it was an “honor.”
Antonio Martin, a second-year game art and design student, said the best part of the event was “getting to see all the different styles of sculpture artwork that the presenter had made her story home the focus of Native American culture that implemented into her personal development and creation of pieces.”
