SCHOOL OF ART & DESIGN, COLLEGE OF FINE & APPLIED ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGNThe annual MFA Exhibition is one of the highlights of the academic year, always greeted with much anticipation. For the participating students, it is an opportunity to present the culmination of their two to three years of residence in the School of Art+Design. For the faculty, it provides the opportunity to publicly celebrate the accomplishments of our most advanced students. Taking place as it does in the Krannert Art Museum, the largest museum venue in Illinois outside the Chicago area, this exhibition is a meaningful first step beyond student status and into authentic practice in the field.
It should be acknowledged that the School of Art+Design cannot take full credit for the preparation of this year’s graduating cohort. We have the distinct advantage of being situated within a world-class education and research institution. This larger intellectual and creative campus community adds another dimension to the educational experience, impacting each of our students in an entirely unique fashion.
As always, the work in this year’s exhibition is diverse in its methods, materials, and preoccupations. But it gains consistency through exhibiting a tireless curiosity, inventiveness, and intelligence. It is with great pride that the School of Art+Design presents the 2007 MFA graduating class. And it is our hope that these new graduates will always remember, with pride and affection, the time they have spent as members of our community.
SCHOOL OF ART & DESIGN, COLLEGE OF FINE & APPLIED ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN