As a senior majoring in strategic and corporate communication with a minor in studio art I was recently invited to assist and collaborate with Professor Micol Hebron on an art piece for the Skin in the Game Exhibition in Chicago. The Art Department awarded me the Maureen Bellettini Scholarship of $1,400 and a $500 student grant covered my travel expenses.

The Skin in the Game Exhibition explores and celebrates contemporary artists working with issues of body and bodily oppression and liberation. Professor Hebron invited me to collaborate with her on this project because it directly relates to my artistic interests and the work I have produced as a studio art minor.

Leading up to the installment of  Professor Hebron’s piece, we met over zoom for hours at a time to review her Photoshop files that would be printed on the walls of the installation. The project was entirely funded by Playboy, and they gave  Professor Hebron access to their archive of exclusive images for her installation. During these meetings, I gave Professor Hebron feedback as she continuously refined and edited her project. I was also included in all the communication among Professor Hebron, the curator, the producer, and the crew printing and installing her project. This allowed me to see the behind-the-scenes workings of setting up a pop-up exhibition and the communication process with the curators and producers.

While I was in Chicago, I attended a VIP preview of the exhibition, where I photographed Professor Hebron’s artwork and met all the other artists in the show, including the curator and producer.

The photos here are a small portion of the pieces in the exhibition.

During my time in Chicago, the Expo Chicago Art Fair was taking place, and I had the privilege of going. This was my first time attending an art fair and seeing how they worked. The fair featured art from galleries all over the world, with a booth set up for each gallery and project.  Professor Hebron took the time to discuss each piece in detail and introduced me to artists throughout the fair.

Overall this trip was an incredible learning experience for me to collaborate with Professor Hebron on her project. I met so many artists whom I am now in contact with and may have found my future job following graduation! I am beyond thankful to have had this opportunity because of the Maureen Bellettini Scholarship.