Calendar

Exhibition

Presented by MFA Illustration as Visual Essay

Selections from Thesis Projects

May 2 - 18, 2024
A black and grey street scene of a woman walking an exterior staircase. There is a black cat in front of her running away. There is a bicycle leaning against the building. A black and grey street scene of a woman walking an exterior staircase. There is a black cat in front of her running away. There is a bicycle leaning against the building.

Ciel Chen, Chasing, 2024, digital, 2160 x 3840 pixels

Ciel Chen, Chasing, 2024, digital, 2160 x 3840 pixels

SVA Chelsea Gallery

601 West 26th Street, 15th floor, New York, NY 10001

Reception

Thu, May 2; 5:00 - 8:00pm

RSVP for the reception
A view from the doors of the Chelsea Gallery front desk with vinyl signage on the wall at the back announcing exhibitions by MFA Illustration As Visual Essay, The 2024 Thesis Show curated by David Sandlin and A Human Fly curated by Viktor Koen. on the far left two installations are partially visible in gallery one.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

An image of the gallery one in Chelsea Gallery showing various installations with screens, table and chair, framed and unframed works mounted on walls and otherwise as part of the MFA thesis show.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

The exhibition begins in Chelsea gallery’s gallery one with an installation of a pair of mirror works, and a table and chair displaying different forms of photographic and sculptural work– all of this with a backdrop of a series of illustrations on the wall, all by the same artist. This leads on to another installation of illustrations, small illustrative objects on shelf displays, and a human-size portrait by another artist. The far end shows another installation dominated by an animation on a mounted screen.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

An image of the first wall in gallery one shows the frontal view of an installation of illustrations and illustrative objects on shelves with a life-size caricature of the artist titled Everything Sucks & I Am A Victim!!! A Back-Story About My Back.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

An installation view of two artists’ works on the far left wall of gallery one. On the left there are three screens against a blue arching backdrop with the title Sahtain! A small table at the front shows illustrated ceramic plates and two candle stands.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

An installation view of two artists’ works from the MFA thesis show in gallery one. One installation contains framed prints, while the other includes a chair, lamp, and wall-mounted illustrations.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

On the left is a sofa-chair with a comforter, and a reading table with a lamp on a yellow rug set against wall-mounted illustrations, illustrated calendars, and shelves with illustrated objects and cards. The other installation shows wall-mounted illustrations and a paper sculpture.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

An image taken from gallery one shows the right hallway leading into the far-side wall of gallery four with one installation of wall-mounted illustrations.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

An installation view of one of the walls in gallery two showing two artists’ works. The one on the right shows canvas works installed on the wall with a shelf mounted in front of it. There is an apron to the right of the canvas works, and on the floor there is a dog-shaped mirror and a yellow ball. The other installation is a set of red and black works installed with plexi-glass with a shelf installed in front of it for cards. A partial view is available of an installation in the left hallway.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

An installation view of the works titled The Collected Adventures of Peter J. Mouse set against the left hallway and photographed from within gallery two. The installation includes a sofa chair on the left beside a fireplace with a kinetic paper fire installation. The mantlepiece holds contact cards and other objects including a rubber frog. The wall above is installed with illustrations.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

An installation view of one of the walls in gallery two showing works by two artists. The one on the left titled Monologues is a set of canvas works with four shelf displays and two red chairs on either side. The other is an installation of wall-mounted illustrations of various sizes with a screen showing an animation in the center. There are two shelves on either side displaying books and other objects. A partial view is available of an installation of illustrations on the right hallway wall.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

A view from within gallery two shows a frontal view of an installation on the right hallway wall of wall-mounted illustrations, vinyl stickers and other illustrated objects along with two shelves displaying cards and other items, titled Welcome to Furryland. Partial views of two other installations are also available on either wall of the gallery.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

A view of gallery three and the left hallway from the right hallway showing installations within the alcove, partial views of the opposite wall and an installation on the left hallway wall.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

A view from within gallery three. A partial view of installations on either side. Canvas works on the left within the alcove and mixed media on the right on the opposite wall. On the right hallway wall there is a frontal view of a mounted screen with looped animation and an illustrated poster to its left.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

An image of the wall opposite the alcove in gallery three shows two installations of MFA artists. On the right there are paper and canvas works, portraits, and flora and fauna studies of different sizes adorned in the installation by golden foliage and abstract golden motifs. A shelf displays a book and cards and is covered in a golden cloth hanging on either side. The installation leads into the profile view of another installation of wall-mounted illustrations of the same wall.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

An image of the wall opposite the alcove in gallery three shows two installations of MFA artists and a partial view of an installation on the right hallway wall showing a poster for an animation beside a mounted screen mostly outside the frame.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

A view from gallery three down the right hallway shows the mirrors in the first installations, a partial view of the paper sculpture against the wall in gallery one, a profile view of an installation of illustrations against the hallway’s wall in gallery two, and then a screen mounted on the hallway wall in gallery 3. To the right there is a partial view of an installation of paper and canvas works adorned with golden foliage leading into a shelf display of other illustrations and objects.

“Selections from Thesis Projects,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, May 2 – May 18, 2024

School of Visual Arts (SVA) presents “Selections from Thesis Projects,” an exhibition of artwork by 19 students in the MFA Illustration as Visual Essay class of 2024, curated by faculty member David Sandlin. The exhibition will be on view from Thursday, May 2, through Saturday, May 18, at the SVA Chelsea Gallery, 601 West 26th Street, 15th floor, New York City. 


Themes of transformation, questing, and revelation dominate “Selections from Thesis Projects.” The stories and conditions displayed are sometimes sobering, often joyous, and always captivating. The artists employ watercolor, oil on canvas, ceramics, animation, printmaking, and other media to express their narratives with whimsy, and occasionally brutal clarity. 


Highlights from the exhibition include Vivi Chiang’s Every Day is a Good Day an exploration and tribute to the traditional Chinese calendar. The illustrated daily wall calendar is created so that as time goes by, there is something to look forward to, making each day count. Vivid and vibrantly colored riso-printed illustrations featuring the bear triplets and daily fortune-telling offer a reminder to enjoy life and appreciate the little things, one day at a time. 


Divyakshi Kedia’s graphic novel What Happened Was… is dedicated to the internal fortitude shown by individuals in crisis and their external actions to uplift their surroundings. Each chapter is a true story that focuses on universal challenges such as incarceration, suicide, addiction, and loss. 


Rama Duwaji’s Sahtain! is a mixed media project celebrating the communal act of making and sharing a dish. Through a series of animated recipes, as well as a ceramic dinner table display, the project explores both the nostalgic and sociopolitical importance of archiving recipes and passing them on to others. 


Other artists featured in this exhibition include Manyun Cai, Ciel Chen, Sheya Chen, Zixin Chen, Chloe Giroux, Lizzy Itzkowitz, Anjali Kamat, Lee Alex, Momo Li, Shiki Liu, Kathleen Ma, Penny Peng, Yu Tao, Jen Yoon, Shan Zhou, and Jesse Zuo.


The SVA Chelsea Gallery is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00am to 6:00pm, Mondays from 10:00am to 5:00pm by appointment, and closed on Sundays. It is fully accessible by wheelchair.

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