On January 13th I had the absolute pleasure of going back to the University of Michigan Museum of Art, camera in hand, to document the Art at Home, Match Day. Students gathered for this very special and first of it’s kind to the university, art lending program that invites students to take original works off the walls and into their own spaces for the semester.
Developed by UMMA’s Art in Public Spaces team, Art at Home reimagines how art is experienced — not as something you visit occasionally, but something you live with. This year, five student curators carefully selected and purchased 75 works with the hope that they might offer reflection, comfort, or a moment of calm in the middle of busy student lives.
There was something especially moving about watching students be called up in groups, already knowing which piece they were hoping for. They walked straight toward the artwork they’d been quietly claiming in their minds before the event even began. When it was still available, the reaction was pure joy and an unmistakable reminder of how deeply people can connect to art.
One of the selected works came from Ypsilanti-based artist Avery Williamson, whose collage practice centers rest, imagination, and softness within domestic spaces. Her hope for students was simple and generous: that the artwork might help them feel more at home — not just in their rooms, but within themselves.
Art at Home is a reminder that art doesn’t have to be distant or untouchable to be meaningful. Sometimes, its greatest impact happens quietly — witnessing our everyday lives, offering a place for the eyes and heart to rest.