Exhibition

School of Visual Arts presents “We Are Not Decorators,” an exhibition of work by BFA Interior Design students. Curated by department students with support from staff members Eduardo Lytton, senior systems administrator, and Lucas Thorpe, director of operations, “We Are Not Decorators” is on view Saturday, December 5, through Saturday, January 9, at the SVA Flatiron Gallery, 133/141 West 21st Street, New York City.

The exhibition sets out to distinguish the terms “interior decorator” and “interior designer,” clarifying distinctions between decorative arts, architecture and interior design that are often misunderstood. Although there is overlap between the two terms, they represent very different professions with different skill sets and training.

Proudly proclaiming “We are interior designers!,” the work on view in the exhibition explores how designers contribute to the entire building process, including creative and technical solutions that are applied to a structure or built interior environment; how human behavior affects spatial relationships; and designs that enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants. Simply put, interior designers, working closely with architects and structural engineers, shape environmental experience.

BFA Interior Design prepares students to shape the places where we live, work and play. Taught by award-winning designers, architects and artists, students learn to integrate the latest technology and materials with time-tested processes and principles of design. The faculty and curriculum are guided by a commitment to sustainability, the interplay between art and design, and the responsibility of design to address social issues.