At the recent opening reception for the Language of Representation exhibition at Queens Hall, these two seemingly disparate disciplines proved they speak the same dialect.
By weaving together analog tradition and multimedia innovation, the exhibition serves as a collaborative reflection of what it means to live, work and create in New York City today.
The conceptual foundation of the exhibition was born from an ambitious desire for cross-disciplinary dialogue, inviting the audience to see themselves as part of this shared conversation.
“The goal of the exhibition was to kind-of connect the language instruction [with] visual arts departments,” said William Haddican, a Queens College linguistics professor. “It really means a lot to them because it’s a fantastic opportunity to get their names out. It’s really positive.”
This sentiment was echoed by Steven Harris, an adjunct assistant professor of photography who helped shape the creative minds featured in the gallery.
Harris views the showcase as a testament to the students’ dynamic capabilities. In his words, the Language of Representation show is “a beautiful curated group of images from students who were both experimenting and working with subject matters that crossed over between analog and digital and then back to digital again.”
“It also had a lot of themes of just living and working in New York City kind of embedded into the work, and just showed a lot of incredible diversity in their creative approach,” Harris added.
For student artist Jeannete Manmohan, the language of her art revolves around deep interconnectedness. “I want a lot of barriers that we put up for ourselves to be broken down,” Manmohan shared. “Through my work, I try to reveal that in every one of us, we have a lot of commonalities. And so it’s hoping to put the sense of togetherness into practice, because I feel like we need more togetherness and kindness.”
At the reception, Manmohan pointed to a standout piece in the gallery, an alternative-process double exposure displayed upside down, as a perfect example of what the modern art world needs. “I feel like there needs to be more experimentation in the world in general. You see a lot of sameness, a lot of blandness, a lot of neutral colors. But I feel like going outside, what’s normal is what attracts me the most… I love seeing people take chances.”
Alumni artist Xeland Van Brackle, a self-described “jack of all trades,” took that exact advice to heart. Using two distinct images, one taken by their mother on the Queens College campus during their childhood and one taken by Xeland themselves in the present day, physically merging the past and the present.
“I physically, with the help of our wonderful print tech Linda, printed them out on cotton twill, and then used my sewing machine to sew them together physically,” Van Brackle shared.
For Van Brackle, the piece reflects the beautiful diversity of the campus itself. “My favorite thing about Queens College campus is how diverse it is.”
While artists like Van Brackle and Manmohan experiment heavily with form and conceptual connection, others use the exhibition to elevate common experiences into high art, making viewers feel connected and represented in the work.
Thomas Griffin, a current Queens College student, chose to focus his creative lens on a subject universally understood by all New Yorkers: the grind of public transportation. Featuring striking images of the subway and the Long Island Rail Road, Griffin’s work taps into a shared, accessible reality.
“I thought, why not just look into something I’m already interested in that’s easily accessible? I can photograph whenever I want,” Griffin said.
For Stephanie Clark, an art teacher currently completing her MFA at Queens College, creating a space for these everyday realities to be witnessed is the true power of the gallery space.
Clark doesn’t want to dictate how viewers interpret her work; rather, she hopes the audience brings their own subjective feelings to the gallery.
As the reception hummed with conversation, the exhibiting artists offered parting words of wisdom for the next generation of creatives looking to find their own visual vocabulary.
Griffin’s advice was direct and practical: “Think about something you’re interested in and see what you could take with that and bring to the table…find your voice and find a way to make yourself stand out from the rest.”
Manmohan offered a poignant reminder about perseverance in the face of rejection. “It is hard, but if it is your passion, that struggle is going to be part of your success later on,” she encouraged. “Your value isn’t tied to a dollar amount…You are a valued person. Keep trying, keep experimenting, and every time you have a failure, just think of it as another step to your success.”
So what can students at Queens College take away from visiting the exhibition? When asked, Professor Harris put it succinctly as he wrapped up his thoughts on the reception’s massive success: “Support the Queens College Arts Department.”
The exhibition will remain on display on Queens Hall’s 3rd floor throughout the Spring 2026 semester. Students, faculty and visitors are encouraged to explore the exhibition and consider what their language represents visually.
