DRAWING ACROSS CULTURES

Central Africa and anime meet in a new film by Patience Lekien ’16, MFA

An introvert by nature, Patience

Lekien admits he’s “not the kind of person you’d expect to see all over social media.” But as an anime fan “from before it was cool,” he’s used Instagram as a platform to get feedback about his illustrations and ideas. Two years ago, he posted an image of a young girl from Kongo (one of the oldest and most welldocumented African kingdoms), encountering ancestral spirits in a forest. More than 9,000 followers told him they wanted to see more.

They’ll get their chance with the release of MFINDA, an animated film now in pre-production with N LITE, a global, multimedia company bringing Black and Indigenous stories to the screen. “‘Mfinda’ is a word in the Kongolese language that means forest, wilderness, or nature—a place where everything comes from,” says Lekien, who was born and raised in the former People’s Republic of the

Congo before immigrating to the U.S. when he was six. “It was inspired by my mother’s life, a girl growing up in the Congo during a time of turmoil, transported back in time by her ancestors. It’s really a love letter to my mother.”

A former STEM student planning for a career in medicine, Lekien made a course correction after college, working on his thesis at MCAD that focused on his dual identities as both an African and an American. “I found myself in the middle, and it was hard trying to reconcile my identity, but that’s where everything started and stems from in my work. It’s about trying to create a bridge between the two cultures,” he says. “Once I started to share my thoughts and deep feelings through my art, I found that’s where the growth is, and that’s where the blessings are.”

TODD JONES, DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS SAFETY

What has surprised you most about MCAD? How talented Campus Safety staff and students are. We have caption boxes in our office which are open for anyone to build on cartoon-based story lines. I love seeing the creativity. Next year what do you want to see at the college when looking back? When it comes to Campus Safety, I hope to get the MCAD community more involved in developing our strategies. What else should we know about you? I’m approaching my fifth year of being cancer-free, a huge milestone for survivors. On a lighter note, I am a member and actor with Catacomb Collective, which provides accessible space to emerging and marginalized artists.

EMILY KESSLER, VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Can you share a memorable interaction with a donor? I had the opportunity to go on a studio visit with an artist and donor. Amazingly the artist asked us to help name a work! Next year what do you want to see at the college when looking back? More financial support for students. What else should we know about you? I know a lot more about professional wrestling than it probably looks like I do. I was delighted to see there is a student club that organizes weekly watch parties.

KEISHA WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR AND CURATOR OF GALLERIES AND EXHIBITIONS

Where did you work before MCAD? I worked next door at Mia as Curatorial Department Assistant and Artist Liaison for Global Contemporary Art. I was also co-founder of the BIPOC employee resource group and part of the Equity Team focused on equity-based practices in museums. Next year what do you want to see at the college when looking back? While I’ve had opportunities to work directly with students, I’d love to find opportunities to collaborate on programming, exhibitions, and whatever else we collectively envision. What else should we know about you? You’ll often find me at thrift stores, estate sales, and flea markets, walking through junk fields in search of treasure.

MARY ALMA NOONAN, VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE/CFO

Where did you work before MCAD?

I’ve worked at Lawrence University and Green Mountain College in similar roles. Prior to transitioning to higher-ed administration, I had a variety of corporate finance and strategy roles. What has surprised you most about MCAD? Probably the most delightful surprise was the amazing work–and sheer volume of it–on display at the Art Sale. Next year what do you want to see at the college when looking back? More students! That’s the key to enabling all sorts of good things to happen.