WELCOME

It’s my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the 2024 Graduate Exhibitions and Festivals at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Whether you see the work here on the website or in person, you will witness the culmination of artists’ and designers’ countless hours in the studio, in classrooms, and in deep thought and conversation. You will see approaches to form, narrative, identity, politics, technology that will lead society into the future with more intention and purpose. It is my hope that you will pay careful attention to the nuances of the work that you encounter and that you will share conversations with each other in this space.

To the graduating artists and designers: you are standing at the threshold of a new chapter, and I congratulate you on your dedication. You have overcome many things to get here, including the unexpected disruption to the studio and gallery spaces a short time ago. Your work in these culminating exhibitions and festivals is a testament to the resilience and determination of our community, including our amazing gallery and facilities staff. In the face of adversity, you rallied together, demonstrating solidarity, support, and an unwavering commitment to your work. I hope that in the coming months, you will begin to reflect on the work that you have produced and the growth that you have experienced while at SAIC. In our age of ubiquitous media, you as artists and designers have insights and practices that are increasingly crucial to society: to assembling consensus, to interrogating power structures, and to building the commons.

Delinda Collier, Dean of Graduate Studies