Minkun Hong (BA ’23) wanted to forge her own path in the arts and find her creative voice when she left her home in Guangzhou, China, to study at Brock.

Hong graduated from the Department of Visual Arts (VISA) on Friday, Oct. 13 with not only a rich artistic practice developed at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA), but also a new community of friends and peers from across the University.

For Hong, the sense of community and camaraderie in the VISA program was invaluable, especially as an international student living away from her family.

She said her small classes meant she received individualized attention from professors and was able to connect with her peers in an engaging learning environment. She was also able to forge lasting connections with her classmates and fellow emerging artists by attending exhibitions, performances and concerts at the MIWSFPA throughout the year.

A highlight of her time at Brock was travelling with students from across campus on the Art Studies Abroad in Spain course (VISA 3M05), which ran earlier this year.

Minkun Hong (second from left) travelled with a group of Brock students to Bilboa, Spain, as part of an immersive arts and culture study abroad experience.

Open to all Brock students, the course explored unique cultural events and regional settings in Bilbao, Spain, and surrounding areas. The group attended exhibitions, artist talks, participatory workshops and activities with various arts institutions.

The immersive experience helped students develop their knowledge of arts and cultural programming with a focus on community interaction for social and economic benefit.

Hong was particularly struck by the impressive architecture in Bilboa and was compelled by the ways Spanish culture and society operated in relation to community arts programming. The group’s visit to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was especially memorable, providing rich discussion around the integration of art in society.

“I was exposed to such a rich history in Spain, as well as modern art. I gained valuable insight from attending local artist talks and learned a lot about how they treat art in their culture,” Hong said.

Hong particularly enjoyed getting to know other Brock students on the trip while sharing unique cultural experiences like exploring the exciting culinary offerings of Spain and touring the picturesque coastal landscape of Getaria.

“It was a joy to watch Hong and the other students experience art in community, while at the same time building their own community together as a group,” said Amy Friend, an Associate Professor and Chair of Visual Arts who leads the study abroad course. “These kinds of connections can lead to lifelong friendships.”

After the course officially ended, Hong’s mother joined her in Europe and they travelled farther afield to experience other parts of Spain.

Inspired by her study travel experience, Hong plans to further immerse herself in art history and architecture by continuing her studies in art and art history through a master’s degree in Europe.