Wall Writings at FIT

This fall, the brick wall on FIT’s 28th Street side got a makeover with student paintings and poems that reflect the uncertain world we live in. The interdisciplinary project came to life after Amy Lemmon, professor of English and Communication Studies, read one of her poems at the Academic Open Mic, a biannual event that brings together faculty from across FIT’s diverse curriculum to share creative and scholarly achievements.

Lemmon’s poem reads:

“That was it, the time we had
no alternative but had to walk past
the site, the fright of shrapnel, and we might
glaze over it’s been so long
since we felt safe—
we are never safe, never safe”

Dan Shefelman, assistant professor of Illustration, was inspired by the poem, and together they came up with #BrickFIT: the words of student poets would share wall space with paintings by fourth-year Illustration students. “There’s a close connection between illustration and ideas,” Shefelman says. “I’ve always felt that an illustration department should be working with writers, and this was a perfect fit.”

Proof that words are POWERFUL. Thanks for the inspiration, FIT!

Meli B