Menjunje/Amalgamation: An Exploration of Language and Identity by Shelly “Lola” Freund

Menjunje/Amalgamation: An Exploration of Language and Identity by Shelly “Lola” Freund

September 23 – November 16, 2026 in the Wedge Gallery

Opening Reception: Tuesday, October 6, 6 – 8 PM (RSVP appreciated)

Drop-in Fingerpainting Activity: during Free Family Day, Saturday, October 10, 2 – 4 PM (registration appreciated)

Artist Talk: Friday, October 23, 5 – 6 PM – Artist Talk (RSVP appreciated)

Artist Shelly “Lola” Freund utilizes brightly colored renditions of her own fingerprints and objects reminiscent of family keepsakes to reflect on her multicultural identity. By using her own body as the subject of her work, Freund asks us to consider how identity is categorized and interpreted in our modern world.  

Freund’s sweeping canvases feature vibrant pinks and blues that shimmer with the additions of rhinestones, glitter, and copper. As light bounces from one canvas to the next, the viewer is taken on a journey through the artist’s own diasporic origins. Whorls of string create pathways, as she weaves between English, Spanish, and Hebrew, reflected amongst the titles.

Freund’s painted geographies ask us to engage with questions of multiculturalism, social tensions, and attempt to identify the line between assimilation and acculturation.

The Umbrella Arts Galleries are free and open to all.