Bachelor of Fine Arts graduates share their final work on an online platform
What: UBCO Visual Arts Graduation Virtual Exhibition Launch: Any Moment
Who: Graduating artists in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program
When: Friday, May 15
Where: Virtual Exhibition: www.ubcovacu.org
Each spring graduating visual arts students at UBC’s Okanagan campus prepare a final art exhibition as they complete their program.
This year’s exhibition, titled Any Moment, was scheduled to open to the public in an on-campus reception in mid-April. However, as Visual Arts Professor Myron Campbell explains, the art will now be shared as a virtual exhibition.
Due to the current COVID-19 situation and the cancellation of the event, the students had to come up with new ways to complete their work and share it with the arts community, explains Campbell.
“Each student set up space at home to complete the work, and they have been working together with a writer and web designer to create a virtual exhibition,” he says. “This vibrant cohort of students continued to produce artwork in makeshift studio spaces in bedrooms, on balconies, in kitchens, the outdoors and even a camper trailer.”
Any Moment includes a wide variety of work such as sculpture, video installation, painting, drawing and animation. Though the work is diverse, a shared element between each artist is an interest in themes addressing memory and place.
“Their collective resiliency is as impressive as it is inspiring having accomplished UBC Okanagan’s first BFA graduation virtual exhibition,” says Campbell.
The exhibition showcases a range of the best works created by 10 emerging artists.
“This year’s graduating students have been busy creating diverse artworks full of personal storytelling and connection to place,” says Lecturer Katherine Pickering. “We’re really looking forward to having this work available for the public to experience this heartfelt exhibition of work.”
Visual arts student Sara Spencer notes it is disappointing the students will not get to show their work in the usual exhibition space, however creating an online exhibition has been a great experience.
“While we can’t have everyone together at a live exhibition, it will still be good to have a virtual exhibition and be able to reach so many more people,” she says. “It will create more opportunities and help to brighten up the world around us.”
This is a great opportunity to see what the next generation of local artists in the Okanagan are producing, adds Campbell.
The exhibition opens Friday, May 15. For more information, visit: www.ubcovacu.org
UBCO fine arts graduate Sara Spencer works on a video while creating her art instalment for the graduate student virtual exhibition.
