Category: In Case You Missed It

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In Case You Missed It Museum Events

In Case You Missed It: Spring 2022 Lunar New Year Celebration

Photographs and captions prepared by Sunny Lee, class of ’22

On Saturday, February 5th, 2022, the McMullen hosted a Lunar New Year event with Boston College’s Asian student organizations. This event was open to the public, and it was fabulous to see many students and members of the local community enjoying their time in the festive halls of the Museum. The Asian Caucus, Chinese Students Association, Korean Students Association, Taiwanese Cultural Organization, and the Vietnamese Student Association presented New Year’s food from various countries, games, and opportunities to make New Year’s decorations to celebrate Lunar New Year. The games played were Go, Mahjong, and Feilong. Additionally, attendees tried their hands at decorating red envelopes, fortune-telling, origami, and making Chinese lanterns and New Year’s knots. 

Board members of the Vietnamese Students Association (VSA) Gina Yoo and Vivienne Le smile for the camera while preparing to serve Vietnamese cuisine.

Left: The mouthwatering dumplings the Chinese Student Association (CSA) brought were a popular hit among the attendees. Right: The Taiwanese Culture Organization (TCO) brought delicious egg tarts and crackers that are popular staples at Asian supermarkets.

The button-making machines worked by McMullen Student Ambassadors allowed participants to create their own button pins.

Right: participants in the game room busied themselves with the various traditional Asian games provided, such as Mahjong and Go. Left: attendees used their artistry and dexterity in creating paper crafts such as a Chinese lantern ornament.

If you did not have the chance to catch our TikTok video on social media, you can watch it here!

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In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It: Fall 2021 “Art After Dark: Grotesquerie of Lights”

By Luis Rivera, class of ‘23

Photos by Sasha Jouldjian, class of ‘24

On Friday, October 22nd, the McMullen Museum welcomed all to celebrate the spooky season and this semester’s exhibition: Mariano: Variations on a Theme | Variaciones sobre un tema. 

Following a frightening year without Art After Dark, its reincarnation brought life to the museum and Boston College community. Under the waning gibbous, students enjoyed a game of manhunt, told ghost stories, and occasionally rolled down the front lawn’s hill. Those who dared to get lost in the fog became fascinated by BC visual media professor Jane Cassidy’s immersive installation on the back lawn. 

As art lovers entered the McMullen, live performances from members of the Boston College Music Guild greeted them. On the first floor, visitors made fall LED lanterns out of black cardstock and transparent colored vellum. The smell of apple cider and donuts in the adjacent room stimulated their senses, as well as the sights and sounds of The Host above them. 

The Immersive Projection Pop-Up Exhibition on the second floor showcased the magic of Boston College students. The projections added a new layer to the Mariano exhibit. Additionally, painters illuminated the dark terrace by creating glow-in-the-dark pieces that glistened under black lights. 

The third floor celebrated the richness of Cuba. Thrill-seekers anxiously waited for their numbers during Loteria Cubana. Women and roosters watched jugadores play Cubilete and Cuban Dominoes in the Monan Gallery. 

It was a pleasure reviving Art After Dark with all those who contributed and attended. Mariano: Variations on a Theme | Variaciones sobre un tema will be available for viewing until December 5th, 2021. Watch out for more thrills at the McMullen in the near future by going to our events calendar. 

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In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It: ASO Taste of Africa

By Dana Connolly, class of ’22

The African Students Association of Boston College brought live programming back to the McMullen in style last Saturday with their annual Taste of Africa celebration. The program, led by new student leaders of the ASO, was the first significant, in-person event hosted by BC students at the McMullen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The night began as students gathered on the museum’s scenic lawn facing Commonwealth Avenue. Groups of students reunited, introduced themselves, laughed, and stared longingly at the tantalizing tin foil catering trays of food. BC ASO has regularly hosted Taste of Africa each year, often collaborating with nearby Black student organizations like those at Harvard. The menu featured dishes representing the various African cultural organizations on campus, from injera to jollof rice. 

After more than one hundred students had arrived, the ASO representatives introduced themselves and their new positions in the group, led by Edil Mohamed, LSEHD ’22, co-president of BC ASO. Afterward, the ASO brought out the ladies of F.I.S.T.S., BC’s only all-women step team. However, as their performance proved, F.I.S.T.S. is much more than a dance group—they are a family. The crowd was hyped to see live dance performances again. 

The line for food was long and filled with hungry patrons. While some groups ate, others congregated beneath the massive tent, fortuitously left standing after a wedding the night before. Students could not resist the alluring music provided by DJ Wonka, a local talent and the proprietor of The Chocolate Factory (@djwonka_ on Instagram). When the catering trays were scraped clean, the ice-buckets melted, and the sun set on McMullen’s backyard, the party continued with dancing and laughter. 


Be sure to check out upcoming events at the McMullen by visiting our website.

Below are some photos taken at this year’s Taste of Africa by Sasha Wong, class of ’24.