Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor
From Oct. 14 to Oct. 25 the Werner University Center — WUC — hosted a student art gallery by Alex Hitchens named “Connections.” The gallery, which featured a combination of acrylic paintings and photography, offered an insightful look into the changes in connection between people, nature and technology.
“The evolution of the internet is like that of a Pandora’s box, which then itself contains other little boxes of even smaller boxes,” Hitchens said. “Each box opened (social media, security challenges, AI) connects us all more greatly but then disconnects us greatly at the same time.”
Paintings of pill bugs in various stages of being rolled up, a mixtape unraveling with butterflies emerging from behind and a girl staring, almost longingly, at her computer screen conveyed Hitchens’ theme by remembering and seeking a balance between her three main focuses.
“My painting called ‘Yin-Yang’ is my favorite because it’s the newest in the set but also because its intended meaning is seeking balance in the digital age.”
The piece featured two robotic dogs facing each other, one black and one white, on a background of binary code. The dogs are positioned in a shape similar to the well-known Chinese philosophy symbol.
On the other side of the gallery, photos taken between 2020 and 2024 were arranged into a collage, featuring a diverse range of women and showcasing Hitchens’ photography skills.
The photo set, entitled “Feminine Powers,” shared the diversity of what it means to feel feminine and act as a reminder that femininity and womanhood are always evolving
“I made one wall my photography (and) the other wall my paintings. Both are about connection but through two different scopes. I knew my theme way beforehand because I had been painting these pieces that spoke on the connection between humans, nature and technology. Narrowing down which images was more difficult for me though, as there were way too many favorite portraits to pick from,” Hitchens said.
Hitchens is currently a senior in the Art Education program at Western and hopes to either work at a Title I middle school or to continue their education and pursue art therapy.
“I picked Western for several reasons, but the most prominent is because I know so many people who went to this school and had nothing but positive feedback on their time here. I think I made a really excellent choice,” she said. “I’ve always been artistic but never had any discipline. (At Western) I’ve been able to grow (and) develop immensely. In part because of the diligence (and) expertise of my teachers but also in the authenticity (and) bravery of my classmates as well.”
Hitchens talked about the importance of displaying art in areas like the WUC, pointing out that it offers a low-pressure way to engage with art, for artists, gallery workers and students. They spoke of possibly inspiring other students by seeing her art displayed.
“I learned so much about how I want my art displayed, what to have prepared beforehand, how to communicate with the gallery team. This experience feels paramount to me (for) ‘working out the kinks’ in a safe space before you’re ready to start showing in other professional galleries,” they said.
Hitchens also uses her artwork and photography as a further means of awareness and social activism. In a post on their Instagram, @artbyalexzandria, Hitchens shared photos they took at a pro-Palestine march in Portland. Captioned “ceasefire now!” the images highlight protestors and their signs, as well as a graffitied watermelon — a symbol now synonymous with a call for justice for Palestine.
Other political artwork on her page includes a satirical cartoon showing Elon Musk on the moon with the Earth on fire in the background, with Musk saying, “It’s a good thing I invested when I did.”
Hitchens continues to share her artwork and photography on her Tumblr blogs “Art by Alexzandria” and “Alex’s Photographs,” as well as selling vintage items in her Etsy store.
“By example, I can show other students that these goals are accomplishable, so they can believe in their own work enough to hang in public, too.”
Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu
