SVA presents the annual exhibition “The Book Show,” featuring original books by 20 MFA Illustration as Visual Essay students, curated by faculty member Anna Raff. The exhibition will be on view Tuesday, November 26, through Saturday, December 14, at the SVA Gramercy Gallery, 209 East 23rd Street, New York City.

In their first year, the MFA candidates of the Illustration as Visual Essay program are tasked with creating books in a format of their choice, whether it be illustrated poetry, graphic novel, children’s book, or essay. The works in this year’s iteration of “The Book Show” encompass a variety of themes, including narrative fantasy, commentaries on our present-day reemergence into public spaces, reconsiderations of times past, and advancement into unknown futures.

Caitlin Du’s book, "Jialin's World" is a comic about a young Chinese girl trying her best to navigate an American school in California. She struggles to learn English, make new friends, and grasp nuanced concepts such as “culture shock.” Lydia Pinkhassik’s book, “Grandfather’s Pearl,” pays tribute to her grandfather who passed away last year. It includes her memories of their relationship and how that inspired her artistic practice.

Other artists in the exhibit on are Ceili Ayoung, Yiran Bian, YiLin Cai, Melody Chen, Jialu Du, Emma Fisher, Laura Sandoval Herrera, Mary Quinlan Murphy, Xiaohan Pei, Yuxuan Wang, Reena Wu, Anshan Xie, Verum Zhou, Wenqi (Alina) Xu, Yiru Xue, Xinyi Yang, Yilin Zhu, and Yubo Zhang.

The MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay at SVA is designed to maximize students’ opportunities as figurative artists, from the conventional gallery wall to the full range of 21st-century media. The program fuses the development of creative thinking with technical and communication skills. Additional focus is placed on best practices in navigating the visual art marketplace while empowering students to choose making art as a way of life.

The SVA Gramercy Gallery is open Monday through Saturday, 10:00am – 6:00pm.

Search Results