WELCOME

I am thrilled to write these words of welcome to the 2023 Graduate Exhibitions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. As you witness the constellation of work from years of artistic practice, a rich picture emerges of a cohort whose work both challenges us and reassures us that art can mediate an infinite number of ways of being in the world. SAIC has always embraced an education that multiplies points of view, but it strikes me as I witness this year’s body of work that the most meaningful part of the work done here is in the micro and macro exchanges that take place in the studio, classroom, and elsewhere. Individual perspectives can give way to collective conclusions and moments of shared vision. The Graduate Exhibitions are the capstones of the graduate studio and design programs, where artists and designers present work that has been percolating in their studios, classrooms, and labs. Sometimes declarative, sometimes suggestive, the coming together of this cohort also speaks to the support and camaraderie of completing a graduate degree. I congratulate the artists and designers of the Class of 2023 for their hard work and engagement with the Chicago art community and beyond.

Delinda Collier, Dean of Graduate Studies