Candice Davis

What was your major and how did you choose it?

Web and multimedia environments, which I chose because I was excited about the way that digital and physical space could be altered to encourage viewer dialogue.

Who was your favorite teacher and why?

Piotr Szyhalski and Ben Moren were my favorite instructors. I trust them both a lot for guidance and they genuinely cared about me—both as my mentors and artistic peers!

Describe your internship.

I did my internship through the WorkArt program in Neuenkirchen, Germany at Kunstverein Springhornhof. It was a fun way to broaden my network internationally. I focused on reorganizing the way their website was managed and creating an English translation of their website. I loved the independence of traveling and living alone!

Best thing you ever got from the free shelf?

A vintage sewing machine that I still use all the time!

How have things changed since graduating? Is there anything you miss about being a student at MCAD? 

I am still in contact with a lot of my instructors and peers. I missed access to a lot of the facilities but was happy to gain that back by becoming MCAD staff. 

Did MCAD prepare you for life after graduation? In what way?

I think that folks who really challenge themselves get the most out of their MCAD experience. I made a huge effort to make connections with my artistic peers and be a part of collaborations and projects outside of the classroom where I could. I think the bonds that I made during my time at MCAD have really improved the success of my artistic practice after graduating.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I am proud of the People's Library. We were a student organization on campus that did a lot to activate students on campus and create collaborations with the local community. When most of our core members graduated we decided to carry on the collective beyond MCAD and we continue to help empower folks through workshops and other artistic events.

What advice do you have for current MCAD students and/or artists at the beginning of their creative careers?

Don't allow yourself to be comfortable or insular. Use your time in school to experiment and collaborate. Your peers often turn out to be your biggest advocates and you, theirs!

Describe what you do for work and how you feel about it.

As an Admissions Outreach Representative for MCAD, I visit high schoolers all over and help them make more informed decisions about pursuing an arts education! As a full time artist, I make work, write grants, and participate in fellowships that further my conceptual exhibition practice!

How did you get your job? 

The position was recommended to me by the kind folks in DesignWorks after I was passed up for a position to which I had applied in their department. As a student, I'd always enjoyed working within the institution to help make it more accessible and I was excited to continue that work as a paid member of the community.

What inspires your work?

My conceptual practice holds a mirror to White violence and complacency. I primarily focus on digital media, installation, and performance as a means of witnessing for the trans-generational experiences of marginalized people. My existence is the result of centuries of displacement, trauma, exploitation, and propagation for the benefit of Western capitalism. My work explores an identity formed by generational survival of and resistance to imperialism. 

Your biggest takeaway from MCAD?

I learned how to be a more thoughtful communicator. I see value in visual arts as a way of starting important dialogue that doesn't always require parsing through any elevated text.

Anything you're obsessed with at the moment?

Always and forever vintage and antique clothes.

Lastly, do you have a favorite interview question we didn't ask? Share the question and your answer!

What's your favorite animal? FROGS!!!!