BYU Art Students Form Meaningful Connections, Overcome Creator’s Block and Draw Inspiration from Culture and History in Spain and Portugal.
This spring, students packed up their sketchbooks and paintbrushes and flew to Spain and Portugal to study art abroad. For six weeks, they immersed themselves in the rich artistic and cultural traditions of the two neighboring countries.
The trip began in Lisbon, Portugal, and concluded in Madrid, Spain. Exploring monumental sites such as the Alhambra, a Spanish palace, and many museums helped the students understand and appreciate the historical and contemporary art of the regions.
One student who attended the trip was Noelle Wiley. She loved visiting exhibits, connecting with artwork and embracing the siesta in Spanish culture.
While Wiley would typically go to a museum by herself, she enjoyed engaging with artwork alongside her peers. Exploring museums with her group expanded her artistic perspective and deepened her friendships.
“When you go to museums with others, you think about the paintings, installations and sculptures in so many different ways,” Wiley said. “I got to know people on my study abroad through having conversations about art.”
Beyond fostering a new understanding of her peers, visiting exhibits in Spain and Portugal helped her connect with art in a novel and personal way.
At the museums, the plaques describing the pieces were written in Spanish. Before Wiley could translate the text, the language barrier forced her to make a personal connection with the art. Connecting with art in this way allowed her to determine what the piece meant to her independently, and later she could add additional meaning after translating the work's description.
“Having a personal conversation with the artwork first and then adding in what the artist was saying forced me to experience art differently,” Wiley said. “Art is a language transcender, and art from a Spanish artist can influence me even if I don't immediately know what is being said.”
Experiencing artwork in new places was enriching for Wiley. Before the trip, she was struggling with artist’s block, but discovering newfound inspiration abroad helped her overcome it.
“Interacting with different cultures and people, contemporary artists in Spain and Portugal, and artists from the past was amazing,” Wiley said. “It made me think about why I am making art, and it was very inspirational. The experience was meaningful and changed me as an artist and my goals for the future as well.”
Beyond art, Wiley appreciated how Spanish culture emphasizes slowing down and connecting. Initially, it was challenging to navigate the siesta, a time in Spanish culture where there is a break in the day and businesses close. The students worried about finding something to do when there was a gap in their schedules, but learned to appreciate taking things slow.
“People in Spain are very busy, but still emphasize taking a break and consciously spending time doing things that are important to them,” Wiley said.
She hopes to embrace this mindset to help her feel more connected and present.
“I often get caught up in the busyness of life without thinking about how I am spending my time or connecting with the world around me,” Wiley said. “The siesta forced me to confront the busy rhythm of life, think about how I spend my time and be more purposeful in my actions.”
She describes slowing down during the siesta as a “lovely” way to live.
Student Naomi Insero attended the study abroad along with Wiley.
Working with several other artists, Insero created a project using cigarette butts. The group spent hours collecting discarded cigarettes and laying them out across a street in the same neighborhood as their studio. People who walked past were paying attention to the project, and one person stopped and struck up a conversation with the artists.
“He had recently immigrated to Madrid from Bangladesh, and we had a really nice conversation,” Insero said. “I feel confident I would never have met that individual if I had stayed here in Provo.”
Working on an art project in public was just one of the many opportunities Insero had to connect with new people.
“Meeting people from different backgrounds, cultures and ideas expanded my horizons,” Insero said. “And now that cigarette project is leading into a larger series that I'm working on.”
An unforgettable memory for Insero was walking the Camino de Santiago trail with several friends she made from the study abroad. Together, they navigated the challenges they encountered and strengthened their friendships while hiking the 17-mile trail.
“We got lost, made mistakes and had to deal with strange challenges. But it grew my friendships and my interest in the culture around me,” Insero said. “We stopped in different towns and ran into all sorts of people, and seeing nature and God's creation was wonderful.”
At the start of the trip, Insero barely knew any of her peers. By the end, she had formed close relationships with many, which she said she will cherish forever.
“I know the friendships I made will not only impact my future career, but my time in the art program and my life after I graduate,” Insero said. “I am glad that I was able to spend time with my fellow artists, learn from their perspectives and see their great example of Christlike living.”