By Sophia Dong
Every semester there is a senior show, but this semester the COVID-19 pandemic caused the senior show exhibition to be moved online. Viewers had to rely on photographic images of the artwork. The show was formatted to focus on each artist and their corresponding subjects. Each senior had something to show about their growth as an artist over the course of their time in university. This year’s show was named “In Bold.” Alexis Bass describes “In Bold” as using her art to communicate her message without any fear. It’s about being confident in her artwork without the fear that it could make others uncomfortable.
“Let’s be real, discrimination, segregation talk is the talk that nobody wants to talk about they want to walk around the idea of it… people need to see color and realize that this has been happening forever and it still has yet been solved.”
Alexis was raised in Clayton County, GA by her single mother. Together, Alexis, her sister, and her mother dealt with tough times. Her inspiration comes from her grandmother who is blind and an amputee. Alexis says that her grandmother’s hard work and determination inspires her to power through tough times. Alexis revealed that she grew up ignorant about her culture and the struggles it faced until she moved into a predominantly white neighborhood. This is where she first realized that she could not stay neutral and ignore the inequality she and her people are facing every day. Experiencing racism and being aware of the social separation has been a major impact on her life, and battling against it is the main focus of her artwork.
Her artwork tackles social injustice in her community. Alexis’s artwork was noticeably focused on the hair. Pieces like “Scarf Me Up” is a metal piece that depicts a female figure with her hair wrapped up in a bun with a blue scarf. “Eden’s Edges” is a package design for a comb and gel. “Bass Creation” displays a business card and monarch butterflies that hold golden hair jewelry beads and a storybook titled, “Your Curls Are Your Crown.” Alexis stated that she decided to go natural. During her journey of going natural, she realized that many people are uninformed and misunderstand black hair. She and her friends experienced being turned down from jobs because their natural hair was seen as unkempt and unprofessional. However, they were unwilling to change their natural beauty. Alexis states that discrimination is problematic due to its limitation on career advancements and other work opportunities. She questions what hair even has to do with her professionalism, and she finds the treatment unfair because natural hair is something she can not control. She hopes to inspire others to embrace their culture and accept who they are.
“Something kind of click…. “Lexi, it’s okay if you offend people because either way, somebody is learning about your topic.” Somebody is taking in what you’re trying to say. ”
After university, she plans on getting a career in graphic design in Atlanta, Georgia. She also plans to attend Georgia State University to acquire her Masters in Graphic Design. She plans to focus on commercial art and freelancing, and she hopes to dabble in fine arts with what she learned in university. Her goal is to open nonprofit organizations to inspire children and help them learn that they can make a successful career in the art field.
Sophia Dong is a Bachelor of Fine Arts major studying at Valdosta State University. She is pursuing a career of being a UI designer.