A new art exhibition called “Fractured” by Columbus State University alumna Emily Elliott is now on display in CSU’s ArtLab in the historic Seaboard Depot building on Front Avenue in downtown Columbus.

Consisting of a life-size sculpture and three paintings, the exhibition is a representation of biological and psychological defense mechanisms resulting from trauma and emotional anxiety, a recurring theme in Elliott's work.

“As a student of the Department of Art, Emily always challenged herself and set the bar high among her peers,” said Hannah Israel, associate professor of art and gallery director at CSU. “Her work was well developed and conceptually mature as an undergraduate. I am so happy that she was willing to come back to CSU to meet with our current students and share her ideas and experiences.”

CSU’s Department of Art will host a reception for "Fractured" tonight, Nov. 17, from 5:30-7 p.m. in the ArtLab. Elliott will give her remarks at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Born and raised in Columbus, Elliott received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts from Columbus State University in 2011 and her Master of Fine Arts from the University of South Florida in 2014. She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.

Elliott uses sculptures and the body as a canvas to convey struggle for social interaction. Referencing philosophical metaphors for society and the individual, her work depicts viscerally the damage and effects of interaction on the individual psyche. Elliott’s evocative works blur the designations of the body and mind, while implicating the figure as both victim and perpetrator.