On the evening of Feb. 14, love, community, and incredible talent were in full swing at the Center for Art and Dance (CAD). As the main hallway began to fill with excited chatter, upbeat music and vibrant lights spilled from the doors of the Flaten Art Museum onto tables set elegantly with candles and bunches of tulips. Inside the museum, a disco ball hung from the ceiling, sending shimmers throughout the space.
The event was a dance party celebrating the openings of two brand-new art exhibitions in CAD: “Techniques for Ecstasy” in the Flaten and “Uprising VIII: Vivid Motion, Living Dreams” in the Groot Gallery. It was a collaborative effort from the Cultural Union for Black Expression (C.U.B.E.), Marlys Boone House, and — behind the turntables — DJ Maggots (Malikiah Guillory ’26 and Mimi Keita ’26) who later that night performed at the Pause Dance.
“Maggots can go two rounds,” said their promotional Instagram post for the two events.
“Techniques for Ecstasy” showcases the textile artworks of Minneapolis artist Alexandra Beaumont. Growing up around the city’s social dance scene, Beaumont became inspired by the community-building power of dancing with others. The exhibition’s title references the ways that people of different ages and cultures have created transcendent experiences for themselves and each other.
In her artwork, Beaumont used appliqué, beads, embroidery, sequins, and sheer fabrics to depict figures in motion, each representing someone she has shared the dance floor with. Walking through the exhibition is an immersive experience. The artworks, suspended from the ceiling, become animated as viewers move past them, fluttering in the breeze.
“I hope that as folks enter into the exhibition, they feel that they are entering into the dance — not just with the artwork, but with those other individuals,” Beaumont said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger. “I’m excited by the possibility of bridging our communities in that way.”
In 2018, UPRISING was founded by Shaquille Brown ’19 as a student-curated exhibition space dedicated to uplifting Black voices at St. Olaf. This year marks the eighth annual event. Curated by Jan-Rose Davis ’25, Ariel Edwards ’26, Bassaa Tufaa ’25, and Queenie Wynter ’25, “Vivid Motion, Living Dreams” celebrates Black passion, creativity, and the dynamic dreams born at the intersection of Black resilience and imagination. Beaumont, working alongside the curators, served as their mentor.
“I felt immediately upon meeting [Beaumont] that she had the kind of generous, community spirit that I was looking for in a mentor to connect with our students,” said Jane Becker Nelson, Director of the Flaten Art Museum.
The process of preparing for UPRISING was different for Edwards this year, as it was her first show as a curator. In an interview with The Olaf Messenger, Edwards said that the opportunity to be present behind the scenes and for the exhibition’s finalizing touches — including lighting design — was really meaningful.
In creating her own piece for the show, titled “rel’s recent roman rempires,” Edwards found an opportunity to grow as an artist through exploring mediums that were new to her. Using graphics, text, and quotes — from others and the Bible — she created a series of prints.
“It’s about the thoughts that I’ve been deliberately — and also been forced to — marinate on over my time at St. Olaf, and also just in living life,” said Edwards of her artwork. “It’s about how people treat others, on a basic level. It’s about colorism and sexism, and it’s also about my faith… and the way the Jesus has brought me through all of that.”
A similar theme of guidance radiates from Daniella Embu ’25’s photograph, an album cover titled “Living In the Light.” In an interview with The Olaf Messenger, Embu described her creative process as introspective, seeking to represent both herself and the faith that drives her. She hopes that viewers will reflect similarly.
“I want people to think about what anchors them or what leads them in life. How they can live in their light,” Embu said.
As the evening continued, more and more community members joined the dance floor, enjoyed refreshments in the lobby, and meandered through the Groot Gallery, expressing gratitude and appreciation for their talented peers. The electric energy that filled the space was both a joy to witness and a testament to Beaumont’s sentiments about the community-building nature of the arts.
“They’ve made it their party, which is what I was hoping for from the beginning,” said Beaumont.
“Techniques for Ecstasy” will run in the Flaten Art Museum until April 6, and “Vivid Motion, Living Dreams” will run in the Groot Gallery until Feb. 28.
