University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign School of Art and Design
408 East Peabody Drive,
Champaign, IL 61820
Opening reception: Saturday, April 13, 5–7pm
T 217 333 0855
www.art.illinois.edu
www.uiucmfa2013.info
The 2013 Master of Fine Arts exhibition of the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is the culmination of three years of creative research and practice. Held in the Krannert Art Museum with an opening reception on Saturday, April 13 from 5 to 7pm, this exhibition features the work of Amy Gilles, Jim Graham, Laura Tanner-Graham, Dan Gratz, Ben Grosser, Ben Hatcher, Paul Shortt, Michael Smith, and Jessica Tolbert. Along with a written thesis, this exhibition functions as an educational space in which objects, images and ideas are positioned to propose arguments, ask questions, and sustain inquiry. This is an ideological space that still requires the careful consideration of craft and the meaning of materials. All of this is serious work and the art works in this exhibition reveal the intense commitment that these artists have made to their chosen field of study—they are good at what they do and they have something interesting to say. Additionally, their work in here and their practice out there provides an interesting model into what might become a more sustainable way of thinking about the artworld and the function of art in the world. The School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois celebrates their achievement.
About the MFA Program of the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois
The MFA Program of the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is committed to training artists and designers at the highest professional levels. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and highly ranked in the U.S. News and World Report, the School of Art + Design is regarded as one of the outstanding public university art programs in the United States. The MFA programs at the University of Illinois emphasize the development of individual and/or collaborative practice in preparation for careers in both fine arts- and client-based contexts, including gallery exhibitions, product/media design, university research, education, public or community-based work, curatorial practice, performance and activism. MFA students at the University of Illinois are independent, motivated, and interested in contextualizing their practice within a stimulating environment of a tier-one research University. The Graduate Faculty at the University of Illinois are professional artists and designers, active at the highest levels of academic, professional and creative production. Graduate faculty include Conrad Bakker, Luke Batten, Eric Benson, William Bullock, Stephen Cartwright, Cliff Shin, Nan Goggin, Ryan Griffis, Jennifer Gunji Ballsrud, Kevin Hamilton, Patrick Hammie, Laurie Hogin, Jimmy Luu, Deana McDonagh, Alan Mette, Matthew Peterson, Melissa Pokorny, Kevin Reeder, Linda Robbennolt, Joel Ross, Tammie Rubin, Ernesto Scott, Joseph Squier, Billie Theide, Brad Tober, Deke Weaver, and David Weightman.
If you are interested in learning more about the Graduate Programs in the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, please contact Ellen De Waard, Graduate Studies Specialist: [email protected].
