2023 Merit Scholarship Recipient: Joshua Anstrand

Describe the work you submitted for merits.

The work I chose to submit for this year's merit awards was installation focused. All of these works were meant to activate the body of the viewer in some way—whether it be playing a game of hopscotch in the sand, or bending down on your knees to view a wall sculpture installed close to the ground. I chose a space that challenged me to come up with creative ways to install, requiring viewers to be acutely aware of their surroundings and the walking path required to maneuver through the space. In this work, I aim to create connections with people. To extend a hand and bridge the gaps in our collective memories through intimate depictions of childhood, memories, and sexuality. 

Why did you decide to come to MCAD?

I transferred to MCAD after living and going to school in Chicago, Illinois. Spending a lot of time in Chicago growing up, I decided to leave school there and see what options were available to me out-of-state. MCAD offered me the art school environment I hoped for and needed, and provided me with the experience of living away from home. Going out of state was the most important part for me, and Minnesota seemed like the perfect place to explore and grow while still maintaining the Midwestern comfort I've always known.

What are your plans for your senior year? And beyond?

In my last semester at MCAD, I hope to direct all of my artistic energy into my senior project. It's my chance to finally commit to a large project I've always wanted to do. I hope I continue to build connections with those around me through my practice, and continue to allow myself to be vulnerable through my work. Beyond MCAD, I want to continue doing what I've always done, (but maybe with a 9-5). 

What inspires you? 

What inspires me most in my art practice is the opportunity for vulnerability. When it comes to art making—the process and the installation of work—I have the opportunity and the choice to say everything I've always wanted to say. I have the opportunity to open myself up completely and let it all hang out. What inspires me to keep making is the chance for someone to experience this vulnerability with me. What inspires me is the chance to create even one singular moment with a viewer where these vulnerable and complicated feelings- shame and desire, fear and joy, frustration and serenity- can arise and come together to create a space for contemplation and healing. I'm inspired by those around me who tell me that interacting with my work brought up complicated memories and feelings of their own and that it felt good and healing to be seen within the work. That is the single most inspiring thing that keeps me going.