This year’s MFA terminal project exhibitions showcase the diverse and innovative works of six emerging artists. Held at the intersection of tradition and experimentation, these exhibitions serve as a testament to the creativity and critical inquiry present in today’s contemporary art landscape. Each of the artists featured in these exhibitions bring a unique perspective and artistic practice to the table, contributing to the rich conversation around visual practice and exploration. From painting to sculpture, photography to fibers, this year’s shows offer a multidisciplinary exploration of themes ranging from colonization and the cosmos to kitsch, to the sublime. Through their varied approaches, the boundaries between the physical and the digital, the personal and the universal, blur as each artist navigates their own unique terrain. Drawing inspiration from a myriad of sources – from cultural heritage to social justice – they invite viewers to join them in exploring the complexities of the human experience.
For each of these artists, this exhibition is the culmination of three years of intensive study, including academic research and creative studio output, as well as an immersion in the Department of Art as instructors in undergraduate courses and labs. Through continuous mentorship from the faculty, as well as guest artists, critics and curators, the grads in our program are given a high bar for their creative output. This catalog and these exhibitions represent not only a punctuating moment of the past three years, but also a departure point for these six artists, as we look forward to following their creative endeavors in the years to come. We invite you to join us in celebrating the culmination of these artists' MFA journeys as they embark on the next chapter of their careers as artists.
RON JUDE
DIRECTOR OF GRADUATE STUDIES