The soft light of the Fullerton College art gallery left shadows along textile pieces, photographs, and mixed media installations. Work like Ashley Cole’s large abstract textile piece draped loosely across the wall in warm amber and pastels tones was on display while other pieces incorporated coral, pearls, hands, and cranes, exploring themes of memory, movement, and belonging.
The theme of the exhibition, “Out of Bounds: Dis Place,” was curated by art Professor Jasmine McNeal and debuted on Oct. 30.
McNeal described the theme of the gallery both as poetic and linguistic. She said that the name of the exhibition was a play on the phrase, “This place,” and reflects Caribbean-English.
It was inspired by the book “Demonic Grounds,” by Katherine McKittrick’s which is about the history of Black women and how their histories and geography have been shaped by systemic powers that continue to create new possibilities for identity, belonging, and freedom.
According to McNeal, the gallery aimed not only to reflect on the history but reclaim the Black femme experience that had always carved out alternative spaces. She said that “Demonic Grounds” looked at how control over Black women’s bodies historically shaped social order and access to space and that systems of slavery and colonization treated people as indicators of power. It created structures that influenced who belonged where and patterns that continue to echo in contemporary life.
“Historically, owning someone’s body was tied to land and power,” said McNeal. “Black women’s bodies determined geography and their presence or absence shaped space.”
“Life is Short, Make it Sweet,” by Marie José was a mixed-media piece displayed with a combination of family photographs, cowrie shells, printed images of Splenda packets and metal keys that explore migration and memories.
“I made this work thinking about family and forced migration,“ said José. “It reflects my grandparents’ journey and their milestones.”
According to José, her grandmother lived with diabetes and used Splenda in place of sugar. In a symbolic gesture to commemorate her grandmother, she used the sweetener packets. The Splenda reflects the small everyday details that stay with us and continue to hold sweetness over time.
“After she passed, we found Splenda packets everywhere in her residence, “José said, “The phrase ‘short and sweet’ came to mind.”
Attendee Cody Jimenez said he was struck by another one of José’s mixed-media works called “On the transmigration of souls (that rest at the bottom of the ocean).”
It is a painting showing two translucent, shell-like figures holding a red heart, surrounded by bright flowers, cranes, and a braided border. Pink ballet shoes and the ocean blended tenderness with a sense of journey.
“It feels joyful, but there’s a somber undertone,” said Jimenez. “You see themes of memory, longing, and being held in place. It feels like wanting freedom while honoring where you come from.”
Fullerton College alumna, Georgetta Collard, who earned her A.A. in Art History in 2015, attended the exhibit to support the program.
“You can see the symbolism through the works, identity, history, movement, “Collard said, “It’s powerful to see.”
The exhibit is available until Nov 26.
The headline of this story has been edited. The word Black has been capitalized according to Associated Press style conventions to reflect that the term refers to a formal shared identity and culture.
This was edited on Nov 12, 2025 at 2 p.m. to correct the misspelling of the title of the exhibition. The previous version read “Out of Bonds: Dis Place.”
