SELECTED WORKS FROM MFA ILLUSTRATION AS VISUAL ESSAY THESIS PROJECTS

SELECTED WORKS FROM MFA ILLUSTRATION AS VISUAL ESSAY THESIS PROJECTS

May 1 – 16, 2009
Reception: Tuesday, May 5, 6 – 8pm
Visual Arts Gallery

School of Visual Arts (SVA) presents “Selected Works From MFA Illustration as Visual Essay Thesis Projects,” an exhibition that brings together books, figurative paintings, graphic novels and narrative series by 20 students graduating from the MFA Illustration as Visual Essay Department at SVA. Curated by faculty member David Sandlin, the exhibition will be on view at the Visual Arts Gallery, 601 W 26 St. 15th floor, New York City, from May 1 – 16, 2009. 
  
The MFA Illustration as Visual Essay Department at SVA, chaired by illustrator and painter Marshall Arisman, empowers artists to take a personal approach to the figure. Each student is guided by a thesis advisor to develop their works; this year’s advisors include Guy Billout, Paul Buckley, Maira Kalman, Viktor Koen, Peter Kuper, John Nickle, Yuko Shimizu, Ward Sutton, Jillian Tamaki, and Sam Weber.

Rachel Hope Allison’s I am not a plastic bag is a graphic novel that imagines the genesis of a gigantic island created from discarded plastic bags. At three times the size of Texas, the island continues to grow as ocean currents sweep more garbage bags onto its shore. The story follows just what–or who–might have created this remote Pacific island. 

Josh Bayer’s comic book spans eighteen years in the life of Jimmy Valentine. The work chronicles his early years leading a Coney Island youth gang as well as his later years as a brain damaged ex-con struggling with his past. The visuals are influenced by the work of painters Paul Cadmus and George Tooker as well as many historical and cinematic sources from the 1950s – 1970s. 
  
The stark drawings of Matt Cavanaugh are a visual soundtrack of American life filled with mystery and melancholy. Uncovering what the artist calls “the dark corners of society,” Cavanaugh’s black and white works have a cinematic quality highlighting overlooked moments, teen angst and “the roar of silence.” 
  
YJ Lee will be represented by two books for children. Take a Stroll Around Night Sky with Tata is a fantasy book whose delicate imagery is united by a simple poem. The untitled second book explores the classic saying “what goes around, comes around” through a series of painterly illustrations. 
  
The R. U. Fauna Department Store by Anna Raff is a series of images from a catalog promoting a fictitious full-service department store staffed solely by animals. The imagery includes portraits of the animals in their areas of expertise as well as images of products, which at first viewing might appear ordinary. However, the artist asks are these products meant to help the customer or serve as a survival device for the animals? A history of the store, shown in the form of a sepia-toned photo essay, will also be on view.

Nu Ryu presents a series of etchings and paintings inspired by animals and nature as well as a supplementary book, Ocean Meets Forest, which describes the hidden story of these images. Fueled by a passion for nature and a concern over global warming, Ryu places animals from around the globe into one imaginary forest. The works illustrate how the animals must cooperate in the face of dramatic change and explores the delicate balance of nature. 
  
Sybille Schenker re-imagines the popular folk tale of Hansel and Gretel using a series of transparent and cut papers which strikingly highlight the depth and darkness of the forest. The multiple layers of the work encourages the reader to navigate the classic Brothers Grimm story in a haunting new way.

In SPLAT! BOOM! FUEGO!, Edwin Vazquez combines ancient pre-Columbian Aztec codices with a modern American comic book vocabulary to create work examining Hispanic-American identity. Vazquez is influenced by his grandfather’s Ecuadorian etching plates along with his fascination with comic books, cartoons and action figures. 
  
Also exhibiting thesis projects are students Lisel Ashlock, Maria Berrio, You Byun, André da Loba, Ray Jones, Yuriko Kator,Youngsun Liu, John MacConnell, Joanna Neborsky, Heejin Roh, Russ Spitkovsky and Rich Tu.

The Visual Arts Gallery, located at 601 West 26th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues, 15th floor, is open Monday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm; closed on Sundays and public holidays. Admission is free. The gallery is accessible by wheelchair. For further information call 212.592.2145. 
  
The MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay Department 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. 
  
School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City is an established leader and innovator in the education of artists. From its inception in 1947, the faculty has been comprised of professionals working in the arts and art-related fields. SVA provides an environment that nurtures creativity, inventiveness and experimentation, enabling students to develop a strong sense of identity and a clear direction of purpose. 
  
Media Contact: For more information, please contact John Wyszniewski, assistant director of communication, at 212.592.2209 or jwyszniewski@sva.edu. 

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John Wyszniewski
Assistant Director of Communication

School of Visual Arts
Location: 136 West 21 Street, 6th floor
Mailing: 209 East 23 Street, New York, NY 10010
Tel: 212.592.2209
Fax: 212.929.0325