Sociology Professor Erin O’Connor Publishes Essay on Hurricane Helene and Glass Art

In the piece, Dr. O’Connor grapples with the interdependence of business and art. She notes, “Studio glass practitioners — myself included — pride themselves on rejecting industry, embracing individual autonomy, and relocating glass from the factory to the artist’s studio, but the movement’s entwinement with industry vis-a-vis minerals and mining is deep-seated and far-reaching.”

This conflict is especially timely in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which informs Dr. O’Connor’s story. She writes, “Hurricane Helene didn’t just exacerbate the interconnection of the global mineral supply chain and the art worlds — it also highlighted this network’s vulnerability.”

As an associate professor at MMC, Dr. O’Connor has spent years teaching courses such as EcoCulture and Sustainability, Anthropology at Museums in NYC, Radical Labor and Artisan Movements, and Great Social Thinkers. She is also the department chair for Politics & Human Rights.

You can read the story now on Hyperallergic.

Published: November 14, 2024