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Storytelling has long been a way for people to make sense of the world and find a sense of agency in the face of significant adversity. In otherwise, exhibiting artists utilize elements of fiction in their work, transforming real-life issues into something otherworldly and innovative. Some artists in the exhibition draw inspiration from specific sources such as science fiction, oral traditions, and mythologies, while others craft intricate narratives inspired by real-world histories. Collectively, the artists in otherwise explore the potential of fictional storytelling to reimagine and reclaim historical and contemporary oppressions, paving the way for bold new futures.

“The title ‘otherwise’ carries an intentional ambiguity,” states Assistant Curator Cynthia Nathan, MFA ’25. “In language, it is a pivot—a turn from one idea toward another, an opening to possibility. Casual yet subversive, otherwise invites us to imagine the world differently.”

otherwise is the first of Getaway!, a multi-year series of exhibitions that explores the power and pitfalls of escapism as a reaction to the question, “What do we do in response to our current crises?” These group and solo exhibitions will explore various topics within the broader theme of escapism, examining the complex impulses that drive us to move away from challenging circumstances and the destinations and activities we pursue when we do. Through diverse research and artistic practices, this series aims to provide a space for imagination, enabling us to equip our communities, both within and beyond the College, with new tools to create the worlds they envision.

Exhibiting Artists include: Felipe Baeza, David Bayus, Pap Souleye Fall, Alex Jackson, Ayana V. Jackson, Cassandra Klos, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Ruben Ulises Rodriguez Montoya, Mauricio Muñoz and Andrew Roberts, Tourmaline, Samantha Yun Wall, and Alisha B. Wormsley

otherwise is organized by Director of Exhibitions Iris Williamson and Curatorial Assistants Darby Miller MFA '26, Cynthia Nathan MFA '25, and JiaAn Waterman '26. Production management by Exhibitions Coordinator Sarah Sawtelle '19 and Exhibitions Assistant Caroline Kouba '22. Design by Omnivore.

First Friday Art Walk

Visual Arts

Opening Reception: otherwise

Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design

Opening Reception: otherwise

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