BFA exhibition shifts to an online catalogue
Normally, this week would see the opening of the annual Visual Arts BFA grad exhibition, one of the most highly anticipated events of the Fine Arts academic year—but, of course, there’s nothing normal about the world these days. Instead of being able to come and enjoy the work of nearly 30 emerging artists in the exhibition Suggested Serving Size, however, we’re pleased to still be able to present their work via this online catalogue.
Ranging from performance, animation, video and photography to installation, painting, drawing and sculpture, supervising faculty member Richard Leong describes the work planned for the BFA exhibition as “a dynamic exchange of ideas”—and, as an undergrad alum of the very department in which he now teaches, he should well know.
“In my experience leading this year’s Art 401 Professional Practice and BFA Exhibition class, I came to see the next generation of artists come into their own,” he says. “This was not only reflected in the quality of their work . . . but also in their demonstrated leadership and teamwork. Their collective drive and commitment to their disciplines and each other was inspiring, and gave me great hope for the future.”
Hope & solace
That’s a sentiment echoed by BFA curator and graduating student Christian McGinty. “Looking at the work this group has made, I have found that there is a hope and solace about the future throughout the works, despite the anxious times we’ve found ourselves in,” he writes in the catalogue foreword. “The artists in the 2020 graduating exhibition have worked extremely hard to showcase our works to you nonetheless . . . . Despite the uncertainty of what’s to come, Suggested Serving Size shows that regardless of a tumultuous future, we will be able to weather it, even if it isn’t always what was on the on menu.”
And while this isn’t the splashy grad exhibition and party everyone was expecting, Leong feels some good has come of it. “I believe we all bear a great disappointment in not being able to witness how their hard work and critical discourse was realized in unique and engaging ways,” he concludes. “One of the remarkable things that they were able to accomplish this term was the development of their BFA exhibition catalogue, which highlights the culmination of each student’s research over the last four years.”
Please enjoy the exhibit in this digital format, and take the time to explore the extraordinary work and ideas of this year’s graduating Visual Arts students.