Vrunda Khairmode
Attendees look at historical projections of Read Hall during the “Layered” art exhibit on Thursday, April 10, 2025, near Gentry Hall in Columbia, Mo. “Layered” is an ASH scholar project that showcased artifacts, zines and artistic displays to memorialize the former hall.
University of Missouri students memorialized Read Hall and learned about ‘safe spaces’ through the art exhibition – “Layered” – on April 10, between McKee and Gentry Halls, where Read Hall used to stand.
“There’s multiple components, disciplines going on, but all of them are kind of going to that one memorialization of Read Hall,” MU journalism major Bishop Lamm said. “We have the projection aspect. We also have sculptures over there, and the zines.”
Lamm created a sculpture displayed during the art show.
“Layered” is an art exhibition created by arts, social science and humanities (ASH) scholars who are a part of MU’s Art of Death project. The scholars work closely with faculty teams on research projects similar to this art exhibition.
“I’m doing some projection mapping, which is what I specialize in, like, video art, and then there was also some fiber stuff that I did for this, which is on the pedestals,” said Sofia Ortega, a storytelling major with emphasis on video and fiber art.
Read Hall was the first women’s dormitory on MU’s campus. It functioned as a university hospital, student union and primary residence to student media organizations such as The Maneater and KCOU before its demolition in 2022.
The petition “Save Read Hall and declare it a state historic site” garnered over 3,000 signatures and created the social media hashtag #savereadhall. Artists Ever Colem, Lani Redecker and Lamm created and distributed a zine about Read Hall’s history at the exhibition.
The event was an artistic display of the exploration of rediscovering Read Hall and safe spaces on campus, based on research done by the presenting scholars.
“Everyone did a little bit of everything,” Lamm said. “You kind of did what suits you best with your skills.”
Edited by Maya Dawson | mdawson@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Emma Short | eshort@themaneater.com
Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com