Who Is My Neighbor?

Every year, the Herron School of Art and Design selects a cohort of artists to participate in a unique program called Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts (RSA), which brings together artists from diverse disciplines to discuss religious texts and respond with creative inquiry. 

The text chosen for 2025-26 is Luke 10:25-37, which contains the parable commonly known as "The Good Samaritan." In a time when good intentions are often met with suspicion or misinterpreted as insincere, the story of the Good Samaritan may feel too idealistic or too generous to be real. And yet, its enduring power lies in its radical invitation to imagine a world shaped by compassion. Told in response to a simple yet profound question - "Who is my neighbor?" - this parable features an act of remarkable kindness performed not by a familiar ally, but by a stranger from a misunderstood and marginalized group.

This year's seminar invites participants to explore themes of identity and otherness, inclusion and exclusion, and the challenges of ethical conviction in a complex world. Through dialogue and creative expression, this year's cohort examines what it means to respond to others with care, courage, and empathy. 

Historically, the RSA program has brought together a cohort of 12 professional artists in the Indianapolis community. Still, for the 2025-26 cohort, the program has made a big shift: pairing six professional artists with six Herron students. Each participant in the program created a work of art in their chosen discipline, as well as a collaborative piece with another program member, resulting in a unique body of work reflecting on the text. 

The works of art in Who Is My Neighbor include visual art, performance art, writing, and music. Participating artists in this exhibit include: Daylen Byrd, Lyric Stille, Matthew Hakaj, Perseus Jackson, Stephanie Correa Rascon, Cecily Walsman, Gerburg Garmann, Josiah McCruiston, Kara Tucker, Megan Jefferson, Israel Solomon, and Michael Baumann.