Arts students showcase creavtivity in annual exhibition

IU students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in fine arts publicly show off their creativity and graphic talents once a year at the Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts BFA Group Show.

The art pieces of the selected students, which go on display today, will remain in the Grunwald Gallery of Art until March 7. A total of 90 pieces have been selected for this year’s show.

“The group show is to give students the experience of being in the gallery,” said Amanda Fong, public relations assistant for the Grunwald Gallery. “It’s a very informative experience for the students.”

The group show’s application is open to any IU BFA student willing to submit their work who is not graduating this spring or summer. The final pieces on display are chosen by the arts school faculty in the student’s specific artistic field.

“Sometimes it’s the student’s first time they’ll be exhibiting in a gallery setting, so they’re kind of involved in the installation process, and they get to see the way things get set up,” Fong said.

These pieces will exhibit both traditional and non-traditional styles, ranging from painting, graphic design, ceramics to metalsmithing.

“Everything’s very colorful.” Fong said. “There’s a lot of life in the show. There’s a lot of movement. It’s pretty different. There’s a lot of variety, honestly.”

Junior Trevor Day’s pieces will be shown this year. Day has one piece, a ceramic sculpture called “Christ’s Final Act of Digestion.” Day is working toward a BFA in ceramics. This is his first year in the group show.

Day said he spent a total of 16 hours on his project and used a combination of atmospheric firing techniques along with baking soda, which resulted in a burnt glaze effect.

“I think it’s a great opportunity,” Day said. “It just helps everyone get their work out there.”

Day said he is excited for people to see his fellow students’ works as well as his own.

“Everyone worked their asses off,” Day said.

On Friday, three pieces will be selected for awards. These awards are the Dean’s Award, selected and given by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, The Friends of Art Award, selected by two representatives of the Friends of Art Organization, and the Grunwald Award, selected by the representative of the Grunwald Gallery.