Second-year kinesiology student Jason Kennedy never thought he’d take a visual arts class. He’s not sure what made him open an email advertising an art history and photography course that included a study trip to Oaxaca, Mexico – or even how it ended up in his inbox.
“I remember sitting down on the first day of the class, and thinking to myself, ‘How on earth did I find my way into this class with all of these incredibly talented artists?’ I don’t know,” Kennedy recalled.
“Sometimes life presents you with an opportunity you never could have planned for, and all you have to do is reach out and take it. I am so glad I did. I want people to remember to keep an open mind at all times, because you never know when inspiration will find you.”
A vibrant snapshot of a street in Oaxaca, Mexico during a Western study trip over Reading Week. (Submitted)
Kennedy was one of dozens of Western students who travelled abroad during Reading Week during the winter term, gaining global perspectives and learning about new cultures through “immersive international experiences.”
Those trips took classes to Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador and Mexico, among other locations
In Oaxaca, Mexico, students brought home their memories in a physical way. Photographs from their journey were used to build an exhibition, Querid@ Oaxaca or Dear Oaxaca, now on display in the John Labatt Visual Arts Centre’s Cohen Commons.
“It is hard to resist Oaxaca’s charm,” said visual arts professor and department chair Alena Robin, who led the trip along with photography professor Kelly Wood.
“We offered a combination of visits of archeological sites, churches and museums, with hands-on workshops such as alebrijes – small wooden hand painted figurines – and experienced the natural dye coming from cochineal, a bug that lives on cactus.”
A group of Western students travelled to Oaxaca, Mexico during Reading Week 2025 for an art history and photography course. (Submitted)
All the students embraced their photography assignments and dove into cultural opportunities like tasting chapulines – grasshoppers – and learning Spanish, Robin said. Some of those moments are now on display.
“They created the exhibit to honour the city and everything they learned. Through photography and a variety of other artifacts, they hope to showcase the experience captured by a collection of works entirely unique to their cameras, their minds, and their hearts,” she said.
Kennedy said he was surprised by the great variety among the photographs, though the group of 11 students visited the very same sites. Those “nearly identical experiences” were captured in many creative ways.
“Everyone’s perspective was different, and I think the fact that we all chose to capture different things is a testament to the intricacy of the human spirit,” he said.
For Emily Kings, a third-year fine arts student with a specialization in studio art, the diversity is the most compelling part of Querid@ Oaxaca.
“It’s more than photography: There are textiles, sculptures, prints and mixed media works. It represents the creativity of our group in extension to being an amazing summary of our experiences,” she said.
“I think the cochineal scarves are a true standout, the way they are displayed showcases their beauty and uniqueness.”
Kings, who is majoring in museum and curatorial studies, said the trip to Oaxaca, Mexico offered an exploration of social customs, art practices, architecture and history. Visiting so many geographic and archeological sites was her favourite part.
“Of particular interest to me was our visit to San Bartolo Coyotepec, where we got to see the ancient Zapotec method of throwing pottery still being used in modern studios. As a ceramicist, it opened up a completely new perspective for me as to how ancient civilizations have used clay,” she said.
The learning in Oaxaca went well beyond art.
In addition to photography skills and an appreciation for international art, Kennedy said some of his biggest lessons had nothing to do with coursework, like living in a place where English isn’t the primary language and understanding his privilege in a different way.
“I really learned a lot about what I am capable of, what opportunities exist in the world and how much more I can achieve by pushing past my perceived limits. That’s a lesson I want to carry forward not just through university but throughout the rest of my life.”
Querid@ Oaxaca / Dear Oaxaca
Exhibition runs until April 10 in Cohen Commons.
It features the work of Alicia Antone, Anna Da Silva, Aarushi Gupta, Kendra Jackson, Parin Jitana, Jason Kennedy, Emily Kings, Rina Liu, Ping Lu, Aariz Nathani and Jannat Uddin.
