Composite, a first-of-its-kind art show sponsored by the Flint Hills Human Rights Project, will take place at the K-State Alumni Center Sunday night from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
“This art show is to raise funds for the Praxis Scholarship Fund,” said Rumela Bhadra, member of the Flint Hills Human Rights Project and research associate of biology and agricultural engineering. “[The Praxis Scholarship] is a scholarship program for any student who is affiliated with an local college or university who has done work or is affiliated with the LGBT community.”
This art show features different mediums from a variety of local, state and regional artists. The type of art displayed will include oil paintings, printing, photography and ceramics.
Bhadra said the Flint Hills Human Rights Project didn’t set a theme for the show before the publicity and call for artists. She said they didn’t want to limit the individual styles art they wanted submitted. When all of the art was accepted, there was one word that distinctively stood out to describe everything – composite.
“It is a gathering of different ideas and mediums,” said Linsey Ann, Manhattan resident, local artist and member of the Flint Hills Human Rights Project. “Composite stood out as the common word [when looking at and discussing the art]. It means a gathering or mixture of elements. When I look at all of the artists together, it looks like a composite.”
Lindsey Ann said many of the pieces of art to be presented in the show appear to have been the personal exploration of each individual artists’ human rights.
“I feel there is a strong connection between human rights and creative expression,” Linsey Ann said. “I feel that art is incredibly important. I believe it touches every part of every person. It’s important for the city of Manhattan to experience all of the value and culture art can bring to an organization and to individuals. There is a wide array and variety of artists.”
The K-State LGBT Resource Center is helping assist with the catering of the event. There will be complimentary hors d’oeuvres served.
There will be a suggested donation presented for all who attend, even though the event is free. All money collected will go to the Praxis Scholarship fund.
Many, if not all, of the pieces of work will be for sale. 10 percent of the profit will also be donated into the Praxis Scholarship Fund distributed through the Flint Hills Human Rights Project. Application for and distribution of the scholarship will occur in the spring.
“Being a land-grant university, we often see a lot of sports activities and student organizations that are geared to science and engineering,” Bhadra said. “I found there is a gap between fine arts and this community. This art show helps bridge that gap.”
