Senior Art Exhibition and Branded 2024 to Open at Bradbury Art Museum
JONESBORO – “Survive or Die Trying,” the spring 2024 senior exhibition at Arkansas State University, will open at Bradbury Art Museum (BAM) on Thursday, April 18.
BAM will host a reception for this exhibition and the opening of Branded 2024, the 2024 graphic design senior exhibition, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25.
Admission to the reception and exhibitions, which continue through May 1, is free.
“Survive or Die Trying” will showcase the work of two graduating seniors from the Department of Art + Design, Aaron Conger of Sulphur Rock and L. Elizabeth Vansandt of DeWitt. Both will receive their Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in studio art. The senior exhibition represents the culmination of the students’ time as BFA artists, acting as a visual thesis, and is a major milestone for the graduating seniors.
Conger first decided that he wanted to become an artist at the beginning of junior high when he began tracing characters from video games and anime. Since then, he has been in art class every semester until he graduated. It was in between his junior and senior years that he realized he wanted to focus his artwork on Godzilla and dinosaurs; this decision was followed by the development of a conceptual interest in the atomic age and nuclear power. Conger’s Christian faith and background are also very important to him.
Vansandt works in fibers, photography and ceramics. Her work is heavily inspired by the natural overgrowth of the environment around her. With a love for performance and elaborate historical wearable art, Vansandt is currently exploring costume design and theatrical artwear, with the pursuit of working in costume design. Her work has been exhibited throughout Northeast Arkansas.
The Branded 2024 opening on April 25 is an exhibition put together by graduating Arkansas State BFA graphic designers: Heaven Cooper of Memphis, Charlee Hounihan of Blytheville, AnnElise Jarrett of Paragould, Morgan Jones of Bryant, Chase Overholser of Wynne, Crystal Pate of Bono, Avery Shell of Fort Gratiot, Mich., Trinity Simmons of Jonesboro, Tomo Suyama of Chiba, Japan, Ziwei Wang of Wuhan, China, and Shiqi Zhong of Guangdong, China.
The Branded event will be an opportunity to meet the students and see designed posters and products from the graphic design class of 2024.
“Panoply: 26 Painted Lives,” an exhibition of artwork from painter Ray Allen Parker, will be open alongside the senior exhibitions.
BAM is in Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more details, one may contact Madeline McMahan, curator and educator at BAM, mmcmahan@AState.edu or (870) 972-3434.
