"I approach the different mediums in stages; there are weeks I only draw, only write or only sing, with little moments where I might dip into each of them at the same time. When I get to Kent, I hope to get a feel for the emotions in the space and respond to them."
Rashayla Marie Brown (Professor RMB) is a Berlin, Germany based undisciplinary™ artist-scholar and 2025 Curlee Raven Holton and Raven Print Editions Fellow. Her notable works explores themes such as ethics, visibility, vulnerability, and perception in performance, photography, and film, often deeply regarding the context and genre in which they unfold. Kent State's School of Art Collections and Galleries is happy to welcome her work, "The Drama Triangle," which will be on view Oct. 30 through Nov. 25, 2025 in the Center for the Visual Arts, where she will also host an artist talk on Oct. 30 at 6 p.m.
Professor Rashayla was kind enough to sit down and answer the below questions on her work and creative process, as well as sharing deeper insights into her goals and inspirations.
Q: “The Drama Triangle” engages audiences in multiple sensory ways—visual, auditory and spatial. What inspired the work, and how do you approach designing an immersive experience that communicates on so many levels?
I’ve been deeply concerned with the circulation of images that produces these very basic “victim, villain and hero” dynamics in pop culture. Also, producing a short film for festivals in 2020, during the height of COVID, made me keenly aware that audiences themselves desire this form of narrative simplification and satisfaction, which I believe is to their own detriment. In my personal life, I’ve been put in these roles without my consent or even intention. I’d like to reach viewers in as many ways as possible. I approach the different mediums in stages; there are weeks I only draw, only write or only sing, with little moments where I might dip into each of them at the same time. When I get to Kent, I hope to get a feel for the emotions in the space and respond to them.
Q: The centerpiece, Intrusive Thoughts, was created while you self-administered EMDR therapy. Can you talk about the vulnerability of that process and how it shaped the final work?
I was diagnosed with PTSD during the same time I was working on that movie, and then a therapist suggested that EMDR would be really useful to me. By going through that, I realized that conventional narrative structure is very similar to the way neuroscience works in EMDR, and that to “change a story” in your body and mind, you actually have to map it spatially like you would an art installation. This was a huge breakthrough for me. Once I got advanced, I started administering the therapy to myself and realized that it freed up my vocal range dramatically. I found it very painful at first, but eventually, incredibly healing. The voices that come out are not really “mine” in a way, but a mashup of voices I’ve heard throughout my life.
Q: Your installation references a wide range of cultural icons. How do you decide which figures enter your visual and sound worlds?
I usually choose figures that are very talented and groundbreaking but very fragile. I’ve previously worked a lot with Amy Winehouse and La Lupe in film and performance tributes, because they point to the inherent vulnerability that a performer has that can destroy them, especially if they have mental health issues or addictions. I have tremendous empathy for this type of suffering, and I think the voyeuristic, insatiable audience itself is often the problem. My hope is to show that I, a fan and supporter, care about what happens to my heroes, that I am not a performer or victim who needs saving, and that we all have the capacity to be the villain.
Q: How would you describe your artistic philosophy or approach to someone who is encountering your work for the first time?
My philosophy is all about boundless creativity; I will paint when I want to, sing when I want to, direct a movie when I want to and write a book when I want to. We impose so many unnecessary limits on creativity that are often encouraged by the disciplinary environment of school. This is why I call myself undisciplinary™, and I add a trademark symbol after that idea to play with and mock the notion of mastery and self-ownership that artists often think they exclusively have dominion over, but is ultimately social, legal and political.
Q: As the 2025 Curlee Raven Holton Fellow, you’ll be engaging with students and the community at Kent State University. What do you hope they take away from experiencing your work or meeting you in person?
I hope they realize that you don’t have to work full-time as an artist like I do to express your creativity. I also hope to remind them that they have more power than they realize to change their current circumstances.
Q: Is there anything about “The Drama Triangle” or your process that you wish more people understood?
I wish more people understood that because I am smart in a conventional way - getting a Ph.D. for example - doesn’t mean I can’t be caring or goofy. I love to play and be unserious. There will be lots of humor in the show. I don’t lead with it, but I like to put satire and serious content in the same space often.
Q: If you could share one thing with students or emerging artists about making work that is personal, challenging, or ambitious, what would it be?
I’d advise them to be their own best friend as much as they are their own best critic. Look closely at what motivates you, and be honest about what gifts you have that you think you have to hide to be “successful.” The most groundbreaking work is personal, comes from the heart and isn’t seeking immediate social acceptance.
Q: How do you hope your work contributes to conversations around creativity, culture, and community?
I am deeply humbled by the history of Kent State and what it means for activists and creative folks. To now be part of a group of artists invited to be in dialogue with that history is a dream come true. I was born in Ohio, and this is my first solo show in the state. I just hope I make my mother proud. I remember going as a little girl to the Toledo Museum and the library with her. I am the artist I am because she stimulated my mind with culture, so I just hope to pass that along to someone else.
Exhibit and Artist Talk Information
*Image: Rage to Master, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Image Courtesy Allison Glenn 2016