Student Colloquium

Salon Doré. Students from Prof. Obler and Prof. Akpang's Seminar courses share their research in short 2-minute presentations. Celebrate student work at this research colloquium centered on current exhibitions at the Brady Gallery. Read more about the exhibitions below: Unfossilizing African Art: Presented after extensive research, this exhibition recontextualizes African material culture objects held in the GW Collection for nearly 50 years. Led by Assistant Professor Clement Akpang, 59 students from four seminar courses offered between Fall 2024 and Spring 2026, conducted original research to deepen understanding of the university’s holdings and update how we interpret and exhibit these objects. The exhibition features 37 tangible heritage objects, ranging from an Egúngún Paaka from Yorubaland to a Kii [brass pipe], attributed to the Baumum people of Cameroon, accompanied by images and video that illuminate their rich histories. Research on the entire collection is presented in an accompanying illustrated publication. Cracks & Reforms: The 1920s emerged as a decade suspended between collapse and reconstruction, an era marked by “cracks and reforms” that ushered in a profound reconfiguration of the visual world. During this period marked by civil transformation and political upheaval, artists, journalists, and makers had opportunities to reconstruct both individual and collective identities. A century later, Cracks & Reforms presents a distinct cross-section of this period, revealing global currents of migration, modernization, and cultural redefinition through the lens of the GW Collection. Students led by Associate Professor Bibiana Obler selected works to study and exhibit, their research eventually leading to unified themes and a catalog designed by Corcoran graphic design students led by professors Sharmila Karamchandani and Aasawari Kulkarni.