Graduating SUNY Potsdam Seniors Display Works in BFA Show at Gibson Gallery

Works by Bachelor of Fine Arts Graduates Highlighted in SUNY Potsdam Exhibition

Potsdam, NY (04/18/2024) — Works by four graduating seniors in SUNY Potsdam's rigorous Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program in visual arts will be on display through Commencement at the Gibson Gallery.

The 2024 BFA Exhibition, presented by The Art Museum at SUNY Potsdam, showcases works by the following student artists:

• Reina Boyea '24 of Malone, N.Y.
• Kendall Jones '24 of Parker, Colo.
• Jose Abel Santiago '24 of Rome, N.Y.
• Madelyn Thompson '24 of Potsdam, N.Y.

The BFA Show will be on display in the Gibson Gallery, located in Brainerd Hall, from April 19 to May 18. A free opening reception will be held on Friday, April 19 from 5 to 7 p.m.

The gallery is open from 1 to 5 p.m. on Mondays, and from 1 to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Friday each week during the exhibition. During Commencement weekend, there will be special exhibition times announced. Additional hours are also available by appointment.

About the exhibition:

Reina Boyea '24

"Through the Veil" is a visual narrative that captures the essence of our deepest fears and fantasies. Inspired by the surreal nature of dreams, the series of photographs is carefully crafted in shades of blue, motion blur and disorienting effects to symbolize the mysterious and the otherworldly.

Kendall Jones '24

The digital photographs in this project explore the internal turmoil of mental health disorders. "Not Normal" features six conditions, expressed through the lens of a fear, feeling or action. The prints in this project were physically damaged to express the harmful, negative and broken feelings of those who are dealing with the stigma of mental illness.

Jose Abel Santiago '24

This series of six paintings explores the artist's battle with cancer, expressing his process of allowing his mind to escape the physical and emotional turmoil of treatment -- forming a bridge between the reality of his pain and the desire to escape to imaginary landscapes.

Madelyn Thompson '24

The works explore the shared physical qualities between organisms and their environments, and the fascinating concept of convergent evolution. Thompson aims to evoke the sense of wonder and curiosity, presenting biological and ecological concepts in enchanting ways that blue the boundaries between subject and habitat.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is the professional undergraduate degree in the visual arts at SUNY Potsdam. Admission is by portfolio review only. The BFA adheres to the College's strong general education in the liberal arts, while offering increased breadth and depth in the studio arts. The primary goal of the program is to foster students' mastery of the visual arts, by giving them further experience in the studio and advanced work in art history and theory.

The Art Museum at SUNY Potsdam serves as the center for visual arts at the College, and encompasses all of the collections found throughout campus, including in the Gibson Gallery. The Museum is dedicated to the exhibition and interpretation of quality works of art, and its collection includes significant artworks from the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as earlier pieces.

Admission to the Gibson Gallery, located at Brainerd Hall, is free, and the exhibition space is wheelchair accessible. For more information, call (315) 267-3290 or visit www.potsdam.edu/museum.

SUNY Potsdam's Department of Art offers both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs in art education, studio art, fine arts, and graphic design and new media. Graduates have gone on to pursue professions in the fine arts, art administration, art therapy, digital design, K-12 and university teaching, museum curation, audio/visual administration, publishing, gallery ownership, interior design, architecture, commercial printing, pattern making, photojournalism, studio ceramics and more. For more information, visit www.potsdam.edu/art.

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