Michael Dela Dika: Shaping Rhapsody is on view at the Berman Museum, Collegeville
January 20 – May 12, 2023
Difference in unity can build community. Shaping Rhapsody reflects Michael Dela Dika’s journey of self-discovery and transformation. Inspired by the bustling Ghanaian marketplaces of his childhood and his immigration to the U.S., Dika’s works convey feelings of displacement and belonging, exploring and negotiating the complex terrain of identity. Unfamiliar environments can overwhelm and elicit feelings of alienation, but individuals can craft a place of belonging through shared affinities. Combining ceramic and reclaimed metal, Dika’s sculpture reveals harmony in chaos by striking a balance between strength and fragility. Through multiplicity, as seen in the immersive installation Field Formations, hundreds of unique “individuals” come together to create a community and yet animate and respond to viewers’ presence. Whether one feels a part of or tangential to the group, Shaping Rhapsody immerses you into its collective vision.
Shaping Rhapsody was curated by Molly Blume, Story Coleman, Bella Dolan, Allie Fiore, Mairead McDermott, Maia Peele, Craig Schrager, and Juls Valerio, members of the 2022-23 Museum Studies Curatorial Practices Seminar.
Contact
bermanmuseum@ursinus.edu
Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College
601 East Main Street
Collegeville PA 19426
United States
Photos by Joseph Hu
