Students from across Boston went to the Museum of Fine Arts’ College Night event April 10, for an evening of live music, dancing, gallery walkthroughs and many more activities for each student to enjoy.
Students were able to enjoy free admission to the museum, and were greeted by DJ Dayglow in the Shapiro Family Courtyard. DJ Dayglow is also the MFA’s DJ for their First Friday events, which happen every month.
DJ Dayglow could be heard from almost every room in the museum, creating a lively environment for the students.
Apart from exploring the MFA’s extensive exhibits, students were able to snap a picture at the photo booth. This gave students the perfect chance to savor their moment at the museum. Apart from the booth, students were invited to take part in a communal mural.
The mural drew inspiration from the exhibit, “Witnessing Humanity: The Art of John Wilson,” and students were encouraged to create small collages. The communal mural was filled with color, and represented student’s voices, advocating mainly for social issues, which is the common theme of the inspired exhibit.
According to the MFA’s website, the communal mural is a collaboration between Everyday Democracy and Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life.
Along with the mural, students were invited to take a student-led tour of the exhibit. “Witnessing Humanity: The Art of John Wilson,” is a powerful exhibition, and invokes questions from many young people. This was the chance for students to engage in meaningful conversation surrounding the artwork. These conversations connected young students and helped them reflect on the themes surrounding Wilson’s work.
The exhibit, which runs till the third week of June, sparked many conversations. Students were seen huddled in circles, dissecting what each piece of work could mean. It was a nice sight to see young people come together, across a variety of differences, to analyze what a piece of art could truly mean. This is a sight that many museum-goers do not see nowadays.
One of the main events that attracted a large audience was a mini concert hosted by Solaya + The Effect. Playing jazz-like music, Solaya + The Effect did not disappoint during their performance. Throughout the entire set, seats were filled, and listeners were bobbing their heads along with the music.
Maya Quiñones, who goes by the stage name Solaya, filled the MFA with vocals echoing throughout the hall. Quiñones rich vocals could be heard through almost every room surrounding the gallery where she performed. The full band, Solaya + The Effect, is set to perform at Boston Calling this year, to spread their jazz rhythms across the city.
All members of the band are students at Berklee College of Music, making this performance from students to students, completing the goal of achieving a true college night out at the MFA.
If students wanted to take a break from the beautifully performed concert, they could dance their hearts out at the K-pop dance party. Held in the Koch Gallery, two big speakers surrounded students as they performed their best moves from K-pop music videos and performances. Smiles were seen all around as students cheered on the others for a lively night of music and dancing.
The MFA College Night was definitely not a night to miss. Before entering, the vibes were already perfect for students. Whether they are freshly starting college or almost done with their academic career, activities could be found for everyone. Many were seen walking around with their friends, on dates or simply enjoying the beautiful exhibits the MFA has to offer. This night attracted students from every background and made it enjoyable for all.
