Art Beyond Borders

Pia Bocanegra
Sep 8, 2018 · 2 min read

Art and dialogue come hand in hand. As an individual with a passion for the visual arts, I started brainstorming new event ideas that involved art for the International Students Union. As the former Vice President of Publicity, I decided to create an event that provokes dialogue across cultures and promote international awareness through visual media. The International Students Union collaborated with People’s Climate Week and Cornell Welcomes Refugees to create Art Beyond Borders: an evening for refugee awareness.

The event had three components to it:

  • A Talk with Mohamad Hafez: Syrian Artist-Architect Mr. Mohamad Hafez has exhibited installations all over the world, and his artwork has recently been profiled in National Public Radio, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. Mohamad Hafez spoke in front of 200 students at the Milstein Auditorium about how he uses his artwork as a way to communicate the experiences of refugees.
  • The International Gallery: This was a display of student art-work with the goal to encourage conversations on internationalism through media.
  • The Refugee Support Gala: This was an exhibit curated by Cornell Welcomes Refugees, bringing awareness to different refugee situations across the globe

The event was held at the Milstein Dome. More details can be found here.

Event Photo
Event Floor Plan at the Milstein Dome
Artist Spotlights and Refugee Crisis Focus Material

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