Caribbean artists Dean Arlen and Adele Todd recently completed a 12-day residency at Stony Brook University, where they worked with students to reimagine the Staller Steps as a space for community connection. The project, titled The Room, was part of the Visiting Artist Series presented by the College of Arts and Sciences’ Center for Changing Systems of Power (CCSP) and Department of Sociology.
During their time on campus, Arlen and Todd engaged students, staff, faculty, and other community members in workshops that focused on redesigning the sloped area between the Staller Center and the academic mall. This location has traditionally served as a central gathering point at Stony Brook, functioning as both a pathway and a site for social, political, and academic interactions.
The artists transformed Staller Theater One into an active studio space where participants contributed through drawing, reflection, and collaborative design. The process aimed to spark broader discussions about creativity, justice, inclusion, land use, history, and belonging.
Manisha Desai, executive director of the CCSP and professor in the Departments of Sociology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Stony Brook University Research & Innovation who coordinated the residency emphasized the importance of inclusivity in both art-making and campus planning. “This is a kind of aesthetic justice,” Desai said. “All of us have creativity within us, but we tend to think about aesthetics only in terms of what’s in a gallery. If we think about our own creativity, that can actually enable and enhance social justice.”
Desai further explained: “We believe a methodology has to be inclusive. It tries to think about the spaces we inhabit in relation to their history.”
The resulting proposal included architectural features such as arches inspired by native forms; clear pathways for improved movement; reclined seating designed for rest; all intended to make the Steps more accessible and inviting.
At the end of their residency on October 9—marked by an artist talk—the artists compiled these ideas into a physical document with student input. This record was delivered to university leadership including the president and provost as well as archived at the campus library.
Adele Todd reflected on next steps: “People like the idea,” she said. “But what we need is a bigger conversation, one that doesn’t end when we leave campus.” She noted plans to continue engagement via social media platforms so students can share updates or new ideas: “We could poke them and activate them to do something good.”
Dean Arlen described their approach: “It’s about companionship and creativity.” Both artists view art as a tool for fostering connections rather than simply decoration—a philosophy they have applied throughout their work internationally.
The residency received support from the Arts, Humanities and Lettered Social Sciences (AHLSS) Committee as part of its mission to promote socially engaged art on campus. As it concluded with sketches and models left behind for future reference or inspiration—organizers highlighted how such projects help bridge creativity with broader questions around community life.
Desai summarized why this matters: “It releases our ability to think about solutions for social justice and the big problems,” she said. “That’s why it matters because it connects creativity to community.”
