Global Arts and Cultures

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Alumni

Following graduation, students who have completed a Master’s Degree in Global Arts and Cultures are well-positioned to pursue many different scholarly and professional paths. Here is a snapshot of several alumni who are taking their expertise in exciting new directions.

Holly Gaboriault

Holly Gaboriault

Filmmaker | Assistant Professor, Illustration Department, RISD

Liliane Lai

Liliane Lai

Kyung Eun Lee

Kyung Eun Lee

Assistant registrar at Kukje Gallery in Seoul, South Korea

Holly Gaboriault

Filmmaker | Assistant Professor, Illustration Department, RISD

MA 21 GAC

THESIS: Breathing into Absence: Narrative Strategies and Interventions in Material Histories

Holly Gaboriault combines film, curation, and design research to highlight hidden histories and methodologies centered in the power of storytelling. Her film projects include producing and directing narratives that expand interdisciplinary dialogues among artists, designers, and creative scholars. With a BFA Illustration and MA Global Arts and Cultures from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), she has held positions as a designer, illustrator, creative director, exhibition curator, director of programming, and strategic storytelling consultant. Recent documentary series include the inaugural Brown Art Institute (BAI) IGNITE artist residencies, RISD Research Perspectives, and ongoing storytelling with the RISD Fleet Library and the RISD Museum of Art.

Gaboriault is a 2023-24 Assistant Professor-in-Residence for the RISD Illustration Department, co-curator of the 2023 RISD Graduate Biennial, Lecturer in the Department of Theory + History of Art + Design, and a member of the Summer@Brown faculty. Her courses integrate interdisciplinary tools for historical activation exploring object-based research, curatorial investigation, and responsible community sustainability. Her GAC thesis Breathing into Absence: Narrative Strategies and Interventions in Material Histories, explored dynamics of materiality ‘haunted’ within museum collections and institutional archives while discussing absence as a constructive interventional tool for reframing void. Gaboriault’s forthcoming fashion book project and exhibition features mid-century fashion and fashion illustration history.

Liliane Lai

MA 20 GAC

THESIS: Defining Montréal: An exploration on the evolution of Montréal’s brand and cultural representations since 1930

Lili is a 2021 graduate of RISD's inaugural MA program, emerging from GAC's first cohort. Her thesis, titled "Defining Montréal: An Exploration on the Evolution of Montréal's Brand and Cultural Representations Since 1930," delves into the rich history and cultural transformations of Montréal. As an interdisciplinary designer, Lili thrives at the intersection of curating cultural, visual, and social experiences. She has collaborated with municipal and provincial governments to conceive en masse cultural gatherings for Montreal's diverse Chinatown neighborhood, establishing a groundbreaking precedent in the city. With a diverse range of clients spanning from big pharma to small fluffy cats, Lili brings a wealth of experience from the fashion, social media, and beauty industries. Currently, she is embarking on her UI/UX design journey while navigating the vibrant landscape of Toronto.

Kyung Eun Lee

Assistant registrar at Kukje Gallery in Seoul, South Korea

MA 20 GAC

THESIS: New Media Art: Curating Social Justice in Contemporary Art Museums and Arts Organizations

Art means a great deal to Kyung and has had a profound impact on her life thus far. She considers art to bring herself closer to the thing she values most in life. She does her best to engage with people, art galleries, and arts institutions not only to satisfy her passion and desire for art but also to maintain the high-level success of her career and work.

Kyung graduated with a master's degree from the Rhode Island School of Design in Global Arts and Cultures. After graduating from RISD, she worked at Unbound Visual Arts as an exhibition designer and curator. And now she has been working as a registrar at Kukje Gallery, preparing art for exhibitions and art fairs and writing condition reports. She has also updated artworks in the computer database and maintained meticulous records to organize information. She works closely with the sales team to track sales information and maintain records.

Kyung also has a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley in Art. After graduating from UC Berkeley, Kyung worked as a museum educator at the Museum of Children’s Arts, researching and planning for new educational programs. Kyung also worked at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco to support public programs, contributing to the growth of innovative programs that inspire audiences and expand upon the exhibition's themes like Gauguin: A Spiritual Journey and Contemporary Muslim Fashions.