The year wraps up with a full schedule of exhibitions, talks, and roundtable discussions.
Casey Grenier, Spirits. On view at “The Book Show.”
Casey Grenier, Spirits. On view at “The Book Show.”
The semester may be winding down, but events and exhibitions aplenty will close out the year. Illustration, design, and fine art keep SVA’s gallery spaces full through December and into the New Year, and talks and open studios welcome the public to campus to learn about everything from professional boundaries to art history, photography, accessible design, and more.
EXHIBITIONS
Through Saturday, December 6 | “Wavelengths” | SVA Chelsea Gallery
A juried survey of recent alumni work across the College, as selected by a panel of renowned alumni practitioners in their respective fields, presented by SVA Galleries. Spanning a range of materials and concepts, the work on view takes particular interest in process-based practices and the pursuit of joy in the face of adversity. From drawing to painting, sculpture to new and mixed media, the exhibition demonstrates the breadth and variety of SVA’s diverse alumni network.
Through Saturday, December 13 | “Act 1: Geraldine Scott III” | SVA Gramercy Gallery
MFA Illustration as Visual Essay presents “Act 1: Geraldine Scott III,” a solo exhibition of animation, ink, pencil, and airbrush works on paper by 2022 alumnus Lillian Ansell, curated by department chair Riccardo Vecchio. The work in “Act 1: Geraldine Scott III” comprises the first act of an illustrated play, building the world and inviting the audience into its landscape of edible clouds, powerful trees, open fields, castles, and sinking swamps, all fit for a fairytale.
Through Saturday, December 13 | “The Book Show” | SVA Gramercy Gallery
An annual exhibition of original books—illustrated poetry, memoirs, social commentaries, graphic novels, children’s books, and essays—by 19 first-year MFA Illustration as Visual Essay students, curated by faculty member Anna Raff.
Lillian Ansell, untitled. On view at “Act 1: Geraldine Scott III.”
Lillian Ansell, untitled. On view at “Act 1: Geraldine Scott III.”
An exhibition of work by BFA Interior Design: Built Environments students, alumni, and a collaborative group from the University of Design, Innovation and Technology, Madrid. Migrants who brave perilous waters in search of a better life risk everything. Inspired by this reality, these works are transitional living spaces that embody hope, healing, and heritage. Each 325-square-foot environment integrates water as a restorative element to counteract the traumatic memories of dangerous crossings, while fostering a sense of safety and renewal.
An exhibition of recent paintings by Gerald Euhon Sheffield II (BFA 2015 Fine Arts), curated by SVA faculty member Peter Hristoff (BFA 1981 Fine Arts) exploring the paintings of familiar and unfamiliar “landscapes” arrested in suspense of an ominous paradigm shift. Sheffield’s current work belongs to a larger ongoing series entitled “fable for introverts,” in which the artist reflects on a Fulbright research fellowship to the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan border and his subsequent return to the United States. Sheffield extends his experiences and findings into a visual language where landscape, American folklore, national identity, and playful ephemera intermingle.
December 8 – 9 | BFA Fine Arts Open Studios | 335 W 16th St.
BFA Fine Arts presents the fall 2025 open studios. Senior students will open their studios for public viewing, along with other exhibition spaces throughout the Fine Arts building.
EVENTS
BFA Visual and Critical Studies, the SVA Honors Program, and the Fritz Ascher Society for Persecuted, Ostracized and Banned Art host a lecture by painter and filmmaker Stefan Roloff, exploring the visual art and resistance of three members of the “Red Orchestra” underground anti-Nazi group.
Tuesday, December 2, 9:00 – 10:00am | The Artists Roundtable: Samson Young (Hong Kong) | Online
MA Curatorial Practice presents a talk with Samson Young, a Hong Kong-born artist and composer whose practice uses sound, performance, video, and installation to examine the cultural, political, and historical dimensions of sound. Trained formally in music composition, he employs a multidisciplinary approach, often incorporating rigorous research and fieldwork into his projects. Young’s work frequently addresses themes of military conflict, migration, and identity, challenging audiences to reconsider their auditory experiences and the power dynamics embedded within them.
Gabrielle Benak, Help Me Do a Backbend 01, 2024, pencil and pen on wood panel, 12 x 9 inches. On view at “Wavelengths.”
Gabrielle Benak, Help Me Do a Backbend 01, 2024, pencil and pen on wood panel, 12 x 9 inches. On view at “Wavelengths.”
Tuesday, December 2, 3:00 – 5:00pm | Antonia Kuo | 133/141 W 21st St., room 101C
MFA Fine Arts presents a talk by New York-based artist Antonia Kuo, part of the Talks lecture series. Kuo’s work has been exhibited widely, including a 2024 two-person exhibition with Martin Wong at the Frye Art Museum, Seattle.
Tuesday, December 2, 7:00 – 8:00pm | i3 Photo Lecture: Jessica Pettway | 136 W 21st St., room 418F
MPS Digital Photography presents a talk with commercial and advertising photographer Jessica Pettway (BFA 2016 Photography and Video), part of its i3: Images, Ideas, Inspiration lecture series. Pettway’s over-the-top, colorful, and lighthearted food, still life, and beauty images engage her audiences from the first big, beautiful bite. Tactile and hands-on, her process is 3D and multi-layered—constructed in both the real world and post-production.
MPS Art Therapy presents a talk with Dr. Rachel Diamond, LMFT, AAMFT, who maintains a private practice in Chicago, where she primarily works with individuals and couples presenting with issues related to pregnancy and adjusting to new parenthood. This training is designed to explore the nuanced boundary questions clinicians face across their professional careers. Participants will be invited to examine the diverse, contextual factors related to self, their clients, and treatment that impact the management of boundaries in clinical practice.
Tuesday, December 9, 9:00 – 10:00am | The Artists Roundtable: Goshka Macuga (London) | Online
MA Curatorial Practice presents a talk with Poland-born, London-based artist Goshka Macuga, known for her research-intensive and interdisciplinary practice that combines roles of artist, curator, and historian. Through installations, sculptures, tapestries, and collages, Macuga questions how history is constructed and presented by institutions.
Tuesday, December 9, 3:00 – 5:00pm | Ellie Ga | 133/141 W 21st St., room 101C
MFA Fine Arts presents a talk by New York City-based artist and writer Ellie Ga, part of the Talks lecture series. Her narrative-based videos and performances reflect a passion for multi-disciplinary knowledge exchange told through everyday conversations, poetic sidesteps, and obsessive research. In addition to multiple permanent collections, Ga was included in the 2019 Whitney Biennial of American Art and is a recipient of a 2022 Guggenheim Fellowship in Film-Video. She is the author of two books and is a founding editor of Ugly Duckling Presse, Brooklyn.
Step inside the MFA Interaction Design studio for an evening of exploration and exchange. This one-day exhibition features works from students such as interactive projects, prototypes, and ideas that reimagine how we live, play, and connect. Meet the makers, explore the studio, and experience the future of interaction design firsthand.
MFA Computer Arts presents its fall open studio event, bringing together multidisciplinary projects from students. The creative work encompasses a wide range of media, including immersive installation, animation, design, and interactivity.
Discover the work of this year’s MFA Photography, Video, and Related Media cohort at the Fall 2025 Salon. Student projects, featuring a wide range of photographic, video, and media practices, will be on view throughout the department.
Dan Zhou, Peter the Pigeon. On view at “The Book Show.”
Dan Zhou, Peter the Pigeon. On view at “The Book Show.”