Caribbean artists Dean Arlen and Adele Todd recently completed a 12-day residency at Stony Brook University, where they worked with students to rethink the use of the Staller Steps. Their project, called The Room, was part of the Visiting Artist Series presented by the College of Arts and Sciences’ Center for Changing Systems of Power (CCSP) and Department of Sociology.
During their time on campus, Arlen and Todd transformed Staller Theater One into an open studio. Students, faculty, staff, and community members participated in activities such as drawing and discussion sessions focused on redesigning the Staller Steps—a well-known gathering spot between the Staller Center and the academic mall.
The artists encouraged participants to consider how art can intersect with social justice and inclusion. Manisha Desai, executive director of CCSP and professor in Sociology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, said, “This is a kind of aesthetic justice. All of us have creativity within us, but we tend to think about aesthetics only in terms of what’s in a gallery. If we think about our own creativity, that can actually enable and enhance social justice.”
The design proposal developed during the residency included features such as architectural arches inspired by native forms, improved pathways for easier movement across the slope, and reclined seating to encourage rest and conversation. These elements aimed to make the Steps a place not only for passing through but also for connection.
Desai emphasized that inclusivity was central to the artists’ process. “We believe a methodology has to be inclusive,” she said. “It tries to think about the spaces we inhabit in relation to their history.”
At the end of the residency, Arlen, Todd, and student participants compiled a document outlining their proposals. This was submitted to university leadership and archived at the campus library as both a record and a prompt for future action.
During an artist talk that concluded their visit, Todd reflected on next steps: “People like the idea,” she said. “But what we need is a bigger conversation, one that doesn’t end when we leave campus.” She noted that she and Arlen plan to continue engagement through social media so students can share updates and ideas. “We could poke them and activate them to do something good,” she said.
Arlen added that their approach treats art as a way to build connections rather than simply as decoration. “It’s about companionship and creativity,” he said.
The residency was supported by the Arts, Humanities and Lettered Social Sciences (AHLSS) Committee as part of its mission to promote socially engaged art on campus. As Desai noted, “It releases our ability to think about solutions for social justice and the big problems. That’s why it matters, because it connects creativity to community.”