In honor of Woman’s History Month, we are highlighting some of the work of women artists acquired by the Escalette Collection of Art this year as part of the Engaging the World: Leading the Conversation on the Significance of Race initiative.

Carla Jay Harris is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice includes photography, installation, collage, and drawing.

The Escalette-acquired piece “Ways of Gods,” comes from Harris’ most recent body of work entitled “Celesital Bodies,” images inspired by her experience growing up as a “third culture kid.” As the child of a military officer, Harris spent most of her childhood living outside the United States, primarily in Germany and Italy. Othered on account of race, language, culture and nationality, Harris’ “surreal” childhood made her aware of the fundamental impact that physical and physiological environments have on one’s sense of belonging. Living in places that emphasized difference, Harris naturally gravitated towards mythology because of the way it highlighted humanity’s shared fears, desires, and need for understanding.

“Throughout history, mythology has served humankind’s need to understand its surroundings, nature and society. Through myth-making I have been able to tap into a sense of belonging that extends from a connection to universal cultural concerns and narratives.”

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