Joel Mulindwa: Impressions of Gratuity
An exhibition of oil pastel artworks by MFA Candidate Joel Mulindwa.
In the Department of Art Project Space
Center For the Arts, Room 155
On View: Wed. 2/12 - Sat. 2/22/2025
Reception: Thursday, February 20th, 2025
About the Artist:
Joel Mulindwa is a 2nd year MFA Candidate in the Deparment of Art.
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Exhibition Statement:
This series of tip jar drawings explores the intersection of labor, gratitude, and economic exchange through the object of a tip jar. The tip jar is a humble yet profound symbol—a vessel for small acts of generosity, a quiet ledger of appreciation, and a reminder of the precarious nature of service work.
Rendered with close attention to form and surface, these drawings emphasize the worn textures, handwritten signs, accumulated coins and bills and carriers of digital currency that give each drawing its own character.
By isolating and elevating these objects, I invite viewers to consider the relationships embedded within them: the tension between obligation and generosity, the contrast between invisibility and recognition, and the quiet persistence of hope in daily work. These drawings challenge us to look closely at what is often overlooked, to see value in the smallest of exchanges, and to reflect on the ways we acknowledge—or fail to acknowledge—the labor of others.