Arrival is not Access

Authors

• Emmanuel Asamoah, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Margaret Bohls

Committee Members

Peter Pinnell, Santiago Cal, Katie Anania, Qwist Joseph

Date of this Version

4-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts

Major: Art

Under the supervision of Professor Margaret Bohls

Lincoln, Nebraska, April 2026

Comments

Copyright 2026, Emmanuel Asamoah. Used by permission

Abstract

This thesis presents a group of sculptures and installations that explore how material, labor, and communication shape unequal access in diasporic life. It questions the common belief that movement, visibility, or relocation automatically leads to stability, care, or belonging. In my experience, arrival does not guarantee access. Using clay, steel and found materials, I create tension between softness and control. Many of these materials are worn and discarded. I cut and rebuild them, leaving marks of strain and repair visible rather than hiding them.

Repetition appears through rows of cast faces and a collection of telephones. These forms suggest shared humanity while pointing to systems that sort and limit people. Oversized ears frame listening as emotional labor, not simple exchange. Through exposed seams, imbalance, and installations that require viewers to move carefully through space, the work holds the gap between arrival and access instead of trying to resolve it.

Advisor: Margaret Bohls