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Alexandra Bailliere ’92: “Reflecting”

Published By Duke Arts / published on: July 13, 2020

Alexandra Bailliere '92 reflects on the growth of arts at Duke over the past 30 years and shares a piece created during the coronavirus crisis.

Part of our “Art and Artists are Essential” collection and invitation.

Alexandra Bailliere, who graduated Duke with a BA in French in 1992, shared this reflection about the growth of arts at Duke from her time on campus to now:

“Although I loved the small studios on the corner of East Campus where I painted as an undergraduate in the early 90s, I felt that the arts were somewhat of an afterthought during my time at Duke. I am thrilled that the arts are being emphasized at Duke with what appear to be so many opportunities for making, exhibiting and sharing.”

The piece she shares, Setting Sun, was created during the coronavirus crisis:

“I was reflecting on invisible, time-intensive labor. The process of drying strips of paint and weaving together is as important to me as the finished product. I wanted to make a painting, the support and the composition, from paint, not paint on top of another material. I was also considering craft (low art) vs. fine art (painting.)” — Alexandra Bailliere ’92


Alexandra Bailliere ’92 works in painting, drawing, sculpture and installation. Her work explores themes of memory and the everyday, often mining her past for connections to the present.

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Setting Sun, 2020. Dried acrylic paint, wood, string. 24"x21".