'Shear Pleasure' Opens At Bentley RSM Gallery This Week

News release from Bentley University.

RSM GALLERY BENTLEY UNIVERSITY

Opening Reception: Wednesday November 6, 5-7 pm | Artist Talk: 6pm

live hair-cutting performance: November 17th at 12pm

Gallery Hours: 10am-6pm daily

Exhibit Dates: November 6th - December 20th, 2024

The RSM Gallery is proud to premiere shear pleasure, new photography and sculpture by alina balseiro. Hair is deeply connected to cultural, religious and ethnic identities and has long played an integral role in how humans represent themselves. shear pleasure features portraits of balseiro, their partner, friends, and generation z collaborators sharing some of the myriad ways queer individuals use their hair as a means of self-expression, bodily autonomy, and protest of social norms. The images are highly tactile, often set in domestic spaces and foregrounding the subject. They convey the intimacy and trust of the portrait sitters, and the sense of community built through the shared experience of the do-it-yourself haircuts.

Please Join Us Wednesday November 6th for our Opening Reception 5-7pm and the Artist Talk at 6 pm

Alina Balseiro uses photography and sculpture to empower their collaborators in the LGBTQIA+ community. As they explore the social codes and cues within this group, they depict the common experiences of Queer individuals. Alina interweaves concepts of vulnerability, identity affirmation, balance and care within relationships, and found communities in their work. Alina’s delicacy when collaborating with friends and strangers shows their ability to create spaces that welcome authenticity of LGBTQIA+ experiences.

Often maneuvering between varying perspectives of viewers, Alina balances the shifting weight of representation, education, and normalization. Their photographs depict the ways that the LGBTQIA+ community wants to be seen leave a multidimensional impression on those that access their work. As they continue making, they build deeper connections on a larger scale with queer individuals seeking to share their narratives.

Alina is committed to generating ethical making processes and maintaining the comfort of their collaborators.

The RSM Gallery is located on the main floor of the Bentley University Library , its clock tower sets it apart from the other buildings of upper campus. Park in the La Cava Parking Lot for best access if driving.

The Gallery is open during Library Hours.