MFA thesis exhibitions

The Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University opens its 2023 MFA thesis exhibitions (March 15–May 6) with a series of group shows by 32 students exploring themes of temporality, location and space, symbols, ritual, social relations, and the connection of parts to a whole.

Collectively, their works represent diverse, discrete disciplines as well as amalgamation of practices, featuring glass, fibers, printmaking, digital images, mixed-media, painting and more. In many works,  the students allude to the urgent need to address impending global reckonings and how they might affect change through their work.

“I am heartened by the integrity and generosity of this class in the face of the challenges that face society. They are serious in their commitment to shaping a better world through their work,” said Associate Dean and Graduate Studies Director Chad Curtis.

Tyler’s annual MFA Thesis shows, the culmination of two years of intensive artistic and critical development, exhibit the breadth of artistic possibilities in its MFA program as well as the intersectionality of studio practice and academics.

When they graduate, Tyler’s MFA Class of 2023 will join a community of distinguished alumni that includes Moe Brooker (BFA ’70, MFA ‘72); Allan L. Edmunds (BFA ‘71, MFA ‘75), Edgar Heap of Birds (MFA ‘79); Harriete Estel Berman (MFA ’80); Virgil Marti (MFA ‘90); Anoka Faruqee (MFA ‘97); Angela Dufresne (MFA ‘98), Trenton Doyle Hancock (MFA ‘00); Will Villalongo (MFA ‘01); Erin Riley (MFA ‘09); Amber Cowan (MFA ‘11) and Kara Springer (MFA ‘17), among others.

Read more about participating students here. The MFA Thesis shows are held in the galleries of Temple Contemporary, Tyler’s center for exhibitions and public programs. The schedule is as follows:

March 15–18: Benjamin Fedosky, Kedrick McKenzie, Elicia Epstein, Ethan Storms.
March 22–25: Halo Lahnert, Emily Friesen, Sofia Macht, Sean M. Starowitz.
March 29–April 1: Olivia Fredericks, Ally Kotarsky, Amira Pualwan.
April 5–8: Zoraye Cyrus, Christen Baker, Brynn Hurlstone.
April 12–15: Miriam Angeles Arrey, Jiseon Min, Rita Scheer, Soso Capaldi.
April 19–22: Jordan Hill, Bethany Riley, Sasha Budayv (Я), Maddy Fratarcangelo.
April 26–29: Patricia Kalidonis, Guannan Wang (Corina), Jason McDonald, Paolo Mentasti.
May 3–6: Evan Bailey, Chad Xuyuan Hu, Julia Malak, Cayarah Pyle, Meryl Skoog, Yongxin Wen.

Temple Contemporary
Location: 2001 N. 13th St. Philadelphia, PA 19122
Opening receptions: Fridays, 6–8pm
Gallery hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 12–8pm Friday–Saturday, 11am–6pm

About the MFA program at Tyler
The Master of Fine Arts program at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University provides a rigorous two-year course of study in which students deeply explore a chosen discipline while broadly investigating a diversity of practices in art-making. Students spend extensive, intensive studio time in their core area of practice and research, and engage in critiques and critical discourse within a boundary-pushing community that values a robust exchange of ideas. Students can amplify this immersive, interdisciplinary training with studies in arts management and certification in teaching in higher education and cultural analytics.