This spring’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) graduates will be hosting their exhibition opening receptions this Friday, Apr. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Apr. 11 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Friday’s show, “Rational Animal”, is held in the Nesbitt Gallery in Davis Hall. It includes Laura Barrios Bardi, Gabe Dowling, Julia Taylor, Michaiah Turner, and Abbey Ummel. Saturday’s opening of “Break the Mold” is at the Art Wrecker Studio downtown. It features work by Haley Robinson with Freddy Baeza, Assistant Professor of Art.
These exhibitions are the capstone project for BFA majors and are organized and executed by the students. The BFA show is designed not only as a way to display recent work, but also to spark collaboration and prepare students for showing in galleries later on in their career.
Each student in the Nesbitt Gallery has contributed about 10 to 12 pieces, with over 50 total. This is the result of months of hard work, narrowed down to the very best each artist has to offer.
“I think that our focus is a little different than other shows around campus. We have a lot of introspective, figurative work, with a lot of different influences both historical and contemporary. We’re using different mediums, and exploring the human body in different ways,” Taylor said.
All the artists in these shows have individual bodies of work but came together and found what they had in common to create a cohesive exhibition. For the first show, it was contemplation; specifically exploring what makes humans special, and how we treat ourselves and others.
“Rational Animal is kind of inspired by Plato, that thought is what sets us apart from animals, which ties all our work together,” Ummel said.
Preparation for the show was long but rewarding for these artists.
“My biggest piece I started in June and didn’t finish touching up until February. So, that one took a really long time, but I think that was the piece that sparked my time management, like going more in depth with myself, being realistic about what I have to get done,” Ummel said. “I had to cut out certain things in my life and just make more time for art.”
This show is meaningful in many ways, but for these BFAs, it is the culmination of everything they have learned here at USAO.
“I’ve grown a lot as an artist since coming here as a freshman, and I think this really shows that. I’m also really proud to put my work up next to these other artists,” Taylor said.
Robinson and Baeza’s show “Break the Mold” will feature pottery and ceramics with unique designs. Additionally, the Art Department’s annual Spring Show reception on the third floor of Davis will be opening Friday night in conjunction with “Rational Animal”. Be sure to check out these displays of skill by your peers here at USAO.
