A Celebration of the Arts In Upcoming Student Awards Ceremony and Exhibitions

Spring is a special time for artists of all kinds at LMU - a time to celebrate! On Thursday, April 24th, three capstone events - the "Young Contemporaries 2025" juried exhibition, the "Design and Multimedia Arts Senior Exhibition," and the annual Art and Art History Awards - will merge into an afternoon of excitement as the community gathers to see original works of art, acknowledge each other's accomplishments, and experience the thrill of having their work featured in major exhibitions on campus.

Beginning at 4:00pm, the awards ceremony will kick off the afternoon with a reception in the courtyard attended by studio art and art history faculty, as well as the many students exhibiting their artwork or studying art. Trophies and scholarships will be presented to the most outstanding and scholarly students from each department in over 25 awards categories. This includes awards for art history as well as all of the areas in studio arts: painting, drawing, printmaking, three-dimensional art, visual communication design, multimedia arts, photography, ceramics, and art education. Awards of distinction will also be given to outstanding students in the ARTsmart volunteer community service program. The recipients of these awards are chosen by the faculty members of the fine arts and art history departments. Finally, cash awards will be given for outstanding artworks exhibited in "Young Contemporaries 2025," before the crowds make their way to the galleries to see the works on view. "Young Contemporaries 2025," opening in the Laband Art Gallery, will be the 41st consecutive iteration of the annual juried undergraduate student art exhibition, this year co-juried by CFA alumnae Kelly Connors '14 and Lida Venieri '14. Karen Rapp, director of the Laband Art Gallery, notes that in any given year, about 180 artworks are submitted for consideration from about 80 students, and that the call is completely open-ended; anyone from any LMU program or college can submit. "This is a professionalizing experience, modeled after how somebody might submit their work for any kind of competition, whether it be an essay or a photograph. This is really an experience that counts. I think the idea for students to see their work in person, in real life, on a wall, in the context of their peers, is very exciting," said Rapp.

Vivanca Rivera Martin, a senior who exhibited in last year's juried show < /a>and will show again in this year's, described her upcoming piece, titled, "It's Only a Matter of Time." The artwork is a website in which Martin collaged many elements together with code (HTML/CSS and Javascript), with the goal of creating an interactive digital experience. The theme of her project is the theory of cybernetics, particularly exploring ways that it moves beyond the binary. "The last juried exhibition was the first time I had ever had my work in an exhibition like this. While that was an important moment for me in itself, beyond that what felt so special was the immense support I felt not only from loved ones, but especially classmates and professors who have been constantly pushing me to do my best and supporting me through every project and critique. CFA has a community unlike any other on campus and I am grateful to have been able to make the connections and friendships that I have, and I am excited to continue doing so," said Martin. Opening simultaneously just a few doors down in the Thomas P. Kelly, Jr. Student Art Gallery will be the second of two senior thesis installments, "HAGS," on view from April 24 - May 2. This exhibition is the Design and Multimedia Arts senior show, which will feature the works of 23 students in video projection, industrial design, sculpture, installation, poster design, graphic design, photography, and more. Earlier this month, from March 21 - April 10, the gallery featured "Make It Make Sense," a presentation of thesis work by this year's 20 graduating fine art seniors. "One of the most standout experiences for me has simply been the opportunity to attend college and grow through art. Every class, critique, and late night in the studio has helped shape both my artistic voice and my sense of self," said Danny Halle, whose work will be on view in "HAGS." Halle's work, "Va'a and Vessel," features four ceramic sculptures, each wrapped with sinnet and natural fiber string; they will sit on a custom-built pedestal, traditional selu (combs) hidden beneath the rear opening of the pedestal.

This end-of-semester art extravaganza will serve as both a space of reflection and inspiration - on how far the students have come with their work, and what they look forward to creating and achieving in the future. "Being in CFA has pushed me to challenge myself creatively - not just to improve my work, but to grow as a person," said Halle. Join your fellow artists, thinkers, scholars, teachers, and friends on Thursday, April 28th to experience the unique way art moves you!