I _____ AMERICA AND AMERICA _____ ME

School of Visual Arts presents I _____ AMERICA AND AMERICA _____ ME, an exhibition of animations, sculptures and interactive installations by MFA Computer Arts faculty, students and alumni. Curated by Lotte Marie Allen, department project coordinator, and India Lombardi-Bello, assistant to the chair, the exhibition will be on view from Saturday, October 19, through Saturday, November 16, at the SVA Flatiron Gallery, 133/141 West 21st Street, New York City.

I _____ AMERICA AND AMERICA _____ ME examines how contemporary artists express and challenge presentations of fantasy, violence, freedom, chaos, delusion and optimism. Some of these concepts define the American dream, some attempt to destroy it, while others explore our global experience.

Alumnus Kawo a.k.a. Sushijojo’s (2015) piece Flamingo may at first seem to portray our American optimism, but on second glance one sees that it speaks to the relentless productivity in capitalist society.

Alumnus Collin Mura-Smith’s (2004) piece I Love America and America Loves Me explores how the mythology of gunmanship in America trembles before ideas of freedom, self-serving lobbying, independence and mass violence.

Faculty member Benton C Bainbridge’s AImurica is, in the words of the artist, “a multichannel media artwork that evokes the U.S. flag with low-resolution, analog image-processed video. The electronic ‘flag’ teeters on the edge of recognizability, much like our country.”

Artists in this exhibition also include current MFA Computer Arts student Linda Loh; department faculty member and alumnus Jasper Lin (2011); alumni Frank Gresham (2019), Valerie Guinn Polgar (2010), Valérie Hallier (1992), Santiago Messier-Restrepo (2019)—in collaboration with Juan Galindo & Julian Moreno—and Ihsu Yoon (2010).

MFA Computer Arts at the School of Visual Arts emphasizes creative experimentation and a multidisciplinary approach to making art with computers and emerging technologies. Dedicated to producing digital artists of the highest caliber, the department guides each student in the development of a personal artistic style in a course of study that is individually tailored to meet his or her needs. Students come from around the world to study in this two-year MFA degree program, which has distinguished itself with nine Student Academy Awards. For more information, visit mfaca.sva.edu.

The SVA Flatiron Gallery, located at 133/141 West 21st Street, is open Monday through Friday, 9am to 7pm, and Saturday, 10am to 6pm. It is fully accessible by wheelchair.

School of Visual Arts has been a leader in the education of artists, designers and creative professionals for seven decades. With a faculty of distinguished working professionals, dynamic curriculum and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. Comprising more than 6,000 students at its Manhattan campus and 38,000 alumni in 75 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world. For information about the College’s 31 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, visit sva.edu.