Exhibition

SVA presents “Nick of Time,” an exhibition showcasing select thesis projects by more than 20 students from the MFA Computer Arts class of 2025, curated by Caroline Taylor Shehan (MA Curatorial Practice 2023). The exhibition will be on view from Friday, June 6, through Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at the SVA Chelsea Gallery, 601 West 26th Street, Suite 1502, New York City. 

In an era defined by rapid technological change, “Nick of Time” celebrates the human touch that persists even as automation encroaches on creative processes. This collection of works reaffirms the urgent need to cherish imagination and cultivate hope amid challenging times.

The exhibition title, inspired by Bonnie Raitt’s song “Nick of Time,” reflects the students’ timely response to contemporary issues through heartfelt expressions of love and compassion. When reactions of despair and defeat are expected, these projects demonstrate a critical calling towards tenderness and resilience, right in the nick of time.

Several students confront the complexities of mental health, such as Linxi Li and Yizhang Jin’s The Pit, which explores the mind of a grandfather living with Alzheimer’s. Yuling Zhou, Caroline Ren, and Petra Zhang’s film ADHDesigner argues that the neurodivergence of ADHD is a creative strength, not a weakness. Vinay Nandargi’s interactive installation Lucidity aims to illuminate the often hidden struggles of those dealing with depression and personality disorders.

Other works in the show push for interpersonal connection by developing tactile elements to accompany their work. Christa Majoras brings play in her multisensory project, the shape of play, inviting visitors to collaboratively play with her instruments while Jingyu Chen’s Ghost Ruins invokes the tradition of the Chinese Zhongyuan Festival, asking participants to place lanterns in a basin of water that triggers an interactive animation.

Rather than shy away from the heaviness of the world, these artists have channeled their expertise over the digital canvas to envision imaginative realms that offer moments of respite and reflection. 

The MFA Computer Art students may have had their fingers on the keyboard and their eyes fixed on their computer screens for the last two years, but their hearts have been finely attuned to the complexities of the human experience.