Brennan Yau
  • Visual Arts
  • Class of 2017
  • Willington, CT

Eastern Student Brennan Yau of Willington Gives Oral Presentation at CREATE Conference

2016 May 5

More than 250 talented students at Eastern Connecticut State University presented research and creative work at the university's second annual CREATE conference this past April. CREATE stands for Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern, and is the university's premier, academic year-end showcase. At the culminating event, students of all majors presented professional posters, live music, dance performances, artwork, photography, documentaries and panel discussions.

Brennan Yau '17 of Willington, who majors in Visual Arts, gave an oral presentation at the event. Yau's oral presentation was titled "Remedios Varo's Bordando el Manto Terrestre: The Conflict Between Women Artists and Surrealism."

"Remedios Varo completed many compelling autobiographical pieces during her lifetime, all of which took place in an introspective, imaginative world that the artist invented for herself," said Yau. "These pieces provide great insight into the artist's life, often through small, humorous vignettes that create a sense of insider knowledge between the insightful viewer and the artist. Bordando El Manto Terrestre (Embroidering the Earth's Mantle, 1961) is one such piece, created during the latter half of her career after her immigration to Mexico. It appears as part of a triptych whose subject matter recalls her life story. Varo presents a narrative of constraint and confinement, first as imposed by her parents, then by her Catholic schooling, and finally by the Surrealist movement. Bordando el Manto Terrestre exposes Varo's struggle with Surrealism as a construct dominated mostly by men and frequently known for its objectification of the female form. I interpret Bordando el Manto Terrestre by applying a psychoanalytic approach, viewed through the lens of feminism. I also particularly focus on the identification and interpretation of small details that often go overlooked upon first viewing, but which prove essential to understanding the message that the work conveys. I believe that Varo's work, especially Bordando el Manto Terrestre, provides a pointed critique on Surrealism that emphasizes female creativity as a successful counterpoint to the male-centered interpretation of the subconscious."

Remarking on the variety of presentations, Professor Dickson Cunningham, conference co-chair, said, "CREATE encapsulates the essence of the liberal arts in one afternoon. It is an intellectual smorgasbord."

Speaking to the value of CREATE, Eastern President Elsa Nunez said, "It takes a very strong and dedicated student to produce this quality of work, and it's important for other students to see this output." Praising the faculty, she added, "It takes a committed and skillful mentor to guide students to the work that is on display. Mentorship is such an integral part of undergraduate research."

During the one-day conference, the Student Center crawled with artistic and scholarly activity. Students in professional attire addressed their peers, faculty and family. In the cafe, ensembles performed; in the theatre, student-produced documentaries were shown; in the Betty R. Tipton Room, aisles of posters depicting scientific research were displayed; across the hall, a gallery-worth of paintings lined the walls; and on the ground floor, panel discussions and oral presentations about the humanities took place.