V is the thesis exhibition for the 2013 Studio Art MFA class. This exhibition represents the culmination of three years of development and work for these artists. The title V refers to the Roman numeral for five, simply denoting the number of artists in the exhibit, and allows a degree of neutrality for an exhibition in which the conceptual and material interests of the artists ranges greatly.
Janaye Brown creates contemplative videos that evoke a sense of intimacy through stillness. The videos, looped, afford the viewer time to insert themselves within the space inside and outside of the frame.
Adriana Corral’s work reflects on autobiographical narratives and violent events that have taken place along the US-Mexico border. She creates work that informs the viewer of something that has occurred and continues to happen. Her artistic approach involves concept, research, and process, which eventually result in installations and sculptural objects.
Christopher Culver’s work deals with architecture and the abstraction of space. Surface is considered and is used to construct paintings and objects as a system of information and registration.
Nathan Ellefson’s work examines points of breakdown in meaning, especially relating to the understanding of language-based symbols, absurdity, and concretization.
Jieun Beth Kim’s work examines the beauty in the complex yet lucid nature of living. Through her careful yet playful rendering, she looks at the isolation and the transience of being.
The graduate program in Studio Art provides a challenging and diverse environment. Meaningful art keeps changing and evolving. In this program, students are encouraged to explore a broad range of creative expressions and studio practices while working in-depth and along the edges of discrete but still vital traditions. Additionally, students are trained to be able to think, talk and write about their maturing art, enhancing their studio practice.
