Hanging from the porch at 146 Elm St is a hand-quilted red banner, situating the space between residential houses and faculty offices. This banner, along with a set of three others, is part of “Love Letters,” a new art installation by Emily Drennan ’23 at the Wurtele Center for Leadership. The first place winner in Public Art of the Wurtele Center’s Spring 2022 Amplify Competition, “Love Letters” is the newest permanent public art installation on Smith Campus.
“Love Letters” features four hand-sewn quilted banners hanging at different locations within and outside the space. Love Letter 1, “Curiosity,” hangs on the Wurtele Center’s front porch. Love Letter 2, “Together,” is located on the steps leading to the side courtyard. Love Letter 3, “Will,” greets visitors to the Center in the front entryway. Love Letter 0, “Practice,” hangs in the front alcove, above seats and couches.
In one of the Wurtele Center’s sitting rooms, Drennan encouraged attendees to write letters of their own on custom-designed postcards. The postcards were pre-stamped and featured a photograph of the quilted words “Love Letters.” Attendees wrote their love letters before touring the space to view the banners.
“The banners locate the space as separate from the residential spaces on campus while being comfortably surrounded by them,” stated Drennan during her address to guests at the reception. “They act as pieces of clothing for the house.”
At Smith, banners play an important role in making students feel welcome on campus. Traditionally, houses hang banners with the names of first-year students before Convocation. Houses across campus, from Green Street to the Quad, also display large sheets marked with “Black Lives Matter.”
“The Amplify Competition calls for proposals to make the space a place of belonging,” said Erin Park Cohn ’00, the current director of the Wurtele Center. “Emily’s proposal spoke to the Smith tradition of banners, which create this sense of belonging in residential spaces.”
“The project is ultimately about what belongs on a house, and I think what belongs on a house at Smith are banners,” stated Drennan. “I first felt welcome at Smith because of the big banner at Emerson House with my name on it.”
While Smith has a long history of installing public works from established artists, the Amplify competition is one of the few ways in which students can make their own permanent marks on campus. Attendees at the reception enjoyed how the pieces placed a cozy twist on public art.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the Wurtele Center for leadership training, and [“Love Letters”] makes the space more welcoming. It used to be kind of a random space on campus,” said Minha Virk ’25.
Other students felt similarly about the effect of Drennan’s installation. Several attendees expressed pleasure at seeing student art redefining the Wurtele Center’s facade.
“Public art at Smith is really important because a lot of spaces feel sterile and unwelcoming,” stated Mo Schweiger ’22. “This gives students autonomy over the space. It’s cool to see how people respond to public art, and I’d like to see more of it on campus.”
