Artist/alumna presents visual discourse on immigration experience

ArtworkAlessandra Santos Pye—Ally Pye—describes herself as a human, wife, mother, therapist and artist. Her art work consistently reflects both existential and introspective themes, and she finds excitement in expressing a flow of life events, thoughts, feelings and social themes through paint and mixed media. These tendencies are clear in her "Accultured" exhibit, which is currently on display in the second floor art gallery of the College of Health and Human Services. A reception that is free and open to the public is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 23 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the gallery. Parking will be free in lot 104.  

According to Pye, the works in the two-part "Accultured" portray her engagement “in an internal debate about identity, patriotism and my individual trajectory as a Brazilian immigrant.” The five pieces in the Assimilation segment of the exhibit, she says, “express much of my identity decay in the first ten years of living in the United States.”  

The integration portion of the exhibit consists of elements symbolizing the fulfillment of her integration process. Regarding the exhibit she states, “I am pleased to have compiled a visual discourse that is both self-critical and self-affirming, as I share my work in joy and celebration of achieving a cultural identity that is fully and wonderfully integrated.” 

Pye is a Western alumna, having earned a bachelor’s degree in art and psychology and master’s degree in counseling. She currently works as a therapist in Kalamazoo and Otsego and works regularly in her art studio at the Park Trades Center in Kalamazoo. 

"Accultured" will be on exhibit until Oct. 17 and the WMU campus community and the general public are invited to view the exhibit from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with the exception of Saturdays, Sept. 20 and Oct. 4. For more information, contact Gay Walker at gay.walker@wmich.edu or (269) 387-3839.