Refugee Mural Exhibition Opens Power of Language Week
The struggle for resilience and connection across differences unites communities around the world. A vivid example of that shared humanity is depicted in a wall-sized mural, which was painted collectively over the course of several years by refugees living in conflict zones from the borders of Syria to Myanmar.
The mural is part of an exhibition, Artolution: Art Through Crisis, which was the topic of a keynote address by muralist, public sculptor, and organizer Max Frieder on Feb. 18 in Fisk Hall. The retrospective features canvas murals created through exchanges across refugee camps and conflict zones in Uganda, Colombia, Jordan, Bangladesh, and Lebanon, showcasing art's ability to interweave stories of resistance, loss, and hope.
The talk and opening reception served as the kickoff for Wesleyan's fourth annual Power of Language Week, a dynamic opportunity to celebrate multilingualism and embrace the cultural richness that language brings to the campus community. The events were supported by the Fries Center for Global Studies, Office of International Student Affairs, Office of Student Academic Resources, and Patricelli Center for Entrepreneurship.
“This exhibition is an opportunity for Wesleyan to welcome a project that really realizes in the most vivid way the idea that language extends far beyond words,” said Deputy Provost, Dean of the Arts and Humanities, and Professor of Music Roger Mathew Grant. “Bringing this work to Wesleyan reminds us both of the fragility and the beauty that define our interdependent world, and of art's power to connect us across difference, distance, and displacement.”
"This is a big deal for us," said Director of the Fries Center for Global Studies, Mansfield Freeman Professor of East Asian Studies, and Professor of Philosophy Stephen Angle about the Power of Language Week. Angle emphasized the importance of honoring distinctive linguistic backgrounds and the ways that language and multilingualism bring us together. “[This week] is also about political activism; it's about the deep meaning that linguistic and cultural identities have for people around the world and in our community,” Angle said.
Frieder co-founded the New York-based non-profit Artolution in 2016. The organization's mission is to create inclusive, transformative experiences where crisis-affected communities can cultivate their own strengths and resilience through collaborative public art-making that supports education and mental health. Serving as chief creative officer, he curated this exhibition in 2023, which was first displayed at the United Nations Headquarters on World Refugee Day in June 2024.
Grant noted that Artolution is the first arts-based organization to sign a global memorandum of understanding with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, establishing its role as an official implementing partner across all 283 refugee camps worldwide. The nonprofit organization’s collaborative artists support mental health and healing in crisis-affected communities, empowering youth to envision a positive future.
Frieder spoke about Artolution’s efforts across 35 countries: building community for 10,000 participants in refugee, displaced, and vulnerable communities; mentoring and training 300 local artists; and strengthening long-term relationships, with a particular focus on gender equity and the rights of girls and women. “We need to recontextualize the narratives around displacement,” Frieder said, pointing to the fundamental power of the arts to humanize those affected by trauma.
“Arts bring out the best in people, especially at the worst times in their life,” Frieder said. “It can make you feel the feeling of freedom amidst unbelievable challenges that these communities are facing. The power of creativity is transcendent; it's a language of social and emotional connectivity, which is something that's essential, especially in the world that we're living in today.”
In the spring of 2023, Artolution organized Middletown youth to paint a mural of a dragon and a peacock on the Middletown Recreation Center behind Beman Middle School.
Power of Language Week events are scheduled at Wesleyan in celebration of the Bengali Language Movement, International Mother Language Day, and Ekushey February—a worldwide annual observance held on Feb. 21 to promote multilingualism and awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity.
Artolution: Art Through Crisis will be on display in Wesleyan’s Fisk Hall through Reunion + Commencement Weekend in May.
