Riley Parrish with her work “Deterioration”

UM student artist Riley Parrish, who attended the Art in the Legislature Reception on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 in the Mackinac Room, Anderson House Office Building, took a photo beside her artwork “Deterioration”. She was also congratulated by State Senator Peter J. Lucido, 8th District, as he paused to admire her artwork which is displayed near his office in the Binsfeld Senate Office Building. Riley writes of her artwork:

“This 18 x 24 inch linoleum block print is a self-portrait of intentional disfigurement. I wanted to illustrate the struggles of my relationship with my body. The media constantly tells us that there is only one way to be beautiful. Although many companies in the beauty and fashion industries have begun to be more inclusive of all shapes and sizes, I still have a hard time loving my body. Through this piece, I explored my feelings more deeply about this subject to better understand what holds me back from loving who I am.”

Riley Parrish’s artwork is displayed on the 3rd floor of the Senate Binsfeld Building. All are welcome to visit the House and Senate office buildings to see all of the 2019-20 artists’ work through September 2020.

The Art in the Legislature Program displays and celebrates the work of amazing student artists from Michigan’s 15 public universities each year, and their work will adorn the walls of the Anderson House Office Building, or the Binsfeld Senate Building, for one year. UM proudly has seven 2019-2020 student artists:

Vanessa with Flowers
Elizabeth Hungerman

The Red Coat (Version II)
Olivia Arau-McSweeney

Feeling in the Dark
Eliana Harrison

Sounds Like a Personal Problem
Aditi Kannan

Sunset Over Burton
The late Atharva Kharkar

Deterioration
Riley Parrish

Bounding Hope
Karson Schenk