BLINK is a bi-annual art festival held in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, as well as a drone show held on the riverfront. Attendees can walk through city blocks to experience artworks that incorporate light, video, music and other creative media. Sean Dunne, associate professor of sociology at SSU, is looking forward to assembling a group to attend the festival later this month. He says the trip isn’t limited to just students, and anyone who is interested is welcome to come. Dunne is no stranger to BLINK and has been attending since 2020. His first time at the festival was random; after stumbling upon the Covington side of the event, his group spent the entire night exploring the streets and taking in various artworks. Attendees have no need to worry about the cost of transportation, as all services have been made free from 6 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. each night of the event.
As a sociology professor, Dunne has expressed interest in the ways we use space, which is precisely what BLINK is about. The use of the cityscape as a canvas, he said, has allowed him to view the world around him much differently. He cited a previous visit with muralist Robert Dafford, who painted the famous floodwall murals in Portsmouth. Having experienced the artworks at BLINK, they commented that it would be interesting to see similar artworks projected on the floodwall.
In addition to BLINK, Dunne is planning a visit to the University of Cincinnati (UC) Law School and the Ohio Innocence Project (OIP) for any students interested in law school. The sociology and political science departments at SSU have organized visits in the past, with the most recent outing including 12 students, and organizers are hoping to bring 20 in the coming trip. Dunne reflected on hosting the East Cleveland Three at SSU and how former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley was instrumental in the establishment of the OIP at UC.
Anyone interested in attending either event should contact Dunne by email at [email protected] by Friday, Oct. 11. Dr. Dunne specified that students need not attend both events; they may choose to go to one or both. BLINK is scheduled Oct. 17-20 in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, and law school visits are planned for the same weekend.
