East Carolinian

Issue date: 2/24/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: staff Photo

Graduate art student Maurice Moore is putting himself out there. Literally.

Moore's self-portrait, originally a class project turned exhibit, will be hanging in Joyner Library all this week in celebration of Black History Month.

The exhibit features a series of 24 self-portraits that Moore has been working on since the fall of 2008.

In his artist statement, Moore explains that the self-portraits are made in a hurry (he says that each portrait took about three or four hours to create) and are raw and sometimes embarrassing to display to the public.

"I think of my work as raw -- the same way I do myself," he said.

"Raw because I am not done becoming who ever the hell I will turn out to be someday. I said that my work is embarrassing because it is still hard for me to put myself out there for the entire world to see. I am kind of a shy guy and I don't think most people notice me. We really put our lives into our work."

Moore says that teaming up with Joyner to display his artwork has been a growing experience - one that he wants to share with the student body.

"I hated doing [self-portraits] because I thought art had to be done a cretin way," Moore said. "Plus, I have always hated having my picture taken and looking in the mirror. I really did not love what I saw staring back at me. I guess it may sound corny but I think that with these self-portraits I have been trying to find myself."

Joyner Library representatives decided to join with Moore to celebrate Black History.

"The library is more than a place [that] houses books. It's about providing an enriched environment for scholarship, collaboration, and socializing," said Dawn Wainwright, marketing and public relations director for Joyner. "Joyner Library appreciates the opportunity to showcase the talents and hard work of ECU's students and faculty while giving the community another opportunity to experience art, culture, history and connection."

Moore hopes that students will take something from his art and the experience of creating the portraits.

"I want the ones who always felt different from everyone and everything they love around them to know that they are not alone and they can make it in this world," Moore said. "While they are at it to also make a difference and a positive change even if that change is only within themselves."

The exhibit, which opened on Feb. 21, hangs beside the Java City Café in Joyner.

Moore's exhibit will be available until Feb. 28.



This writer can be contacted at editor@theeastcarolinian.com.

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