Making the Show

Ask the Artists: “Why Are You Excited About the MFA Show?”

“I’m completely new to being involved in exhibitions because I have a background as an architect. At SAIC, I am doing architecture but within a more artistic context. I am able to think about materials in a more conceptual way. I am excited about being in the MFA Show because I view it as the first of many ...

Shared Space

W: For one of my pieces, I stand at the corner and draw the boundary of my body as far as I can reach. I fill this shape up with graphite and erase it. Eventually everything will be erased and there will only be a pile of eraser shavings in the corner. I also have a ...

MFA Show Curatorial Quiz

We are nearing the final phases of making the MFA Show ! But wait…how much do you actually know about the MFA Show and its preparation process? Test your knowledge! If you are wondering some of the details and skills the GCAs (which stands for Graduate Curatorial Assistant) have been working on, or simply just want to sit back ...

Responsibility and Creativity in Curatorial Work

One hundred and three artists, three curatorial teams—how do we develop conversations to create a show that is uniquely meaningful for each participating artist? As a graduate curatorial assistant, I believe two qualities are very important for this work: responsibility and creativity. The curatorial teams understand very well that the MFA Show can be a moment ...

Beyond the Bubble: Interviews with Graduating MFAs

On the occasion of the upcoming 2015 MFA Show, five second year SAIC MFA students shared their thoughts on the experience of making within an academic institution. Defined as a “bubble” and as an “incubator,” these soon-to-be graduates reflect on their time at the school and their expectations of the next phases of their art practices. ...

The Art Historian in the Studio

Many art historians often have little to no interaction with living artists, given that history is often the purview of the past. In more traditional academic settings, the art history department is often set well away from fine arts studios. On any given day, the library-bound historians are probably more likely to run into philosophers, economists, or other sundry ...

Paying Attention to the Details

One of the most exciting parts about being involved with the MFA Show is getting to watch artists’ ideas evolve and materialize. And one of the most challenging aspects of this process is dealing with logistical details or limitations when an artist’s work is still in flux. In a relatively fixed area like the Sullivan Galleries—...

Weekend Blitz: Inside the Studio Visit

On a blustery, bitterly cold Valentine’s Day weekend, I found myself traipsing around Chicago’s downtown loop, happily braving the chill in pursuit of Art. Our curatorial team, comprised of fellow curatorial assistant Elizabeth Metcalfe, guest curator Lucía Sánromán, and myself, was visiting 34 graduating artists in a little over three and a half days. These ...

On Working as an Educator in a Curatorial Context

When I tell strangers I’m studying art education, they often ask me what age group of children I want to work with, or what grade I plan on teaching. My answer is always a pivot to try and explain the complex ideologies that brought me to graduate school that range from interests in socially-engaged art, curating, and museum ...