REVIEW: Unique ‘We Can Play All Day’ exhibit

New installation promotes mental health and creativity

By Sofía Cortés sofia.cortes@marquette.edu

College can be overwhelming, sometimes it’s challenging balancing school, work and a social life. Taking a break to appreciate art and embracing creativity can be a really fun way to clear your head from chaos.

“I’ve been to so many shows where the art is above you. I want to remind people that art is for everyone, it’s for play,” Maximiliano Jacinto, a local artist, said.

“We Can Play All Day” was an exhibit held at Underscore, a local artist-run venue. The message behind the title of the art show serves to remind people that art always is, and can be, a collective, beautiful experience that is meant to be fun and enjoyed.

The exhibit featured Jacinto’s artwork but what made it stand out was when they handed me a marker and said, “Write whatever you feel, if you dare.” Allowing the public to participate in the art was extremely unique and allowed for a more immersive experience than your average art show.

The gallery had a space to decorate stickers, a cardboard canvas to write on, and even a “gambling” section where you could test your luck with the artist by playing rock, paper, scissors in order to win some art. There were endless amounts of art supplies, in every color imaginable, available for everyone to use.

Jacinto’s art was displayed in an unorthodox way, with every piece being suspended from a rope. This allowed spectators to view one side then carefully flip the canvas over revealing an entirely different piece of eye-catching art. there was a smaller room holding a projector that was playing a film made by Cameron Matthias, a Milwaukee filmmaker, which also displayed some of Maximiliano’s other artwork. The dimly lit room was decorated with the words “MELT” on the wall, which made the whole experience feel otherworldly.

One of the paintings also had a thoughtful message written on the side of the canvas that read, “Please drink water, rest as you need to do a stretch, hello I love you.” The piece was inspiring as it served as a little reminder to take the time to care for yourself.

“Art has been the only way I can connect with who I am and the world,” Grace Jacinto, Maximiliano’s partner, said. As a local artist and art therapist, Grace said that art is “vital” to them and that it’s essential to always make time in your life for art.

Taking the time to enjoy things such as art, or create your own, has the potential to make a positive difference in someone’s life.

Creating something or even just going out and looking at some art can be a great way to take a break from busy life. It was an original experience full of beautiful pieces, definitely one of my favorite local art exhibits I’ve had the chance to visit.

Jesuit values are at the core of a person’s intellectual freedom. However, in recent legislation, these values are threatened by book bannings.

Last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the curriculum transparency bill that requires the approval of books in public school classrooms and libraries. In order for books to be approved for the classroom, they must be analyzed by a media specialist trained by the Florida Department of Education.

54 of 132 proposed high school math textbooks were rejected under this provision.

This was on the reasoning that the textbooks had connections to critical race theory, an academic framework that asserts that systemic racism is part of American society.

It may be somewhat confusing as to how ideas such as critical race theory could possibly be perceived in a math textbook.