Alberta University of the Arts showcases annual Grad Show exhibit in person and online
Posted May 22, 2022 3:54 pm.
Last Updated May 23, 2022 11:39 am.
The Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts) Grad Show is coming up and it has an online presence that you can view anywhere.
A good party is not the only celebration that pandemic restrictions took away from recent graduates.
The Grad Show has about 200 students displaying their artwork in an exhibition that couldn’t happen in person during the pandemic.
“If you’re in person you know sculpture you can walk around, you can feel the three-dimensionality of the work. You can figure, you know, if it’s a painting, the colour, those type of things,” said Daniel Doz, president and CEO of AUArts.
Natalia Ionescu, a Bachelor of Design in Illustration graduate, says she works in a medium where you can work digitally and work from home. No commute to class during pandemic restrictions helped her have more creative time at home but she also appreciates the value of an in-person exhibition.
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“I think it’s an exciting and unique opportunity for us. I feel like design illustration, it’s probably not as commonly seen in an art gallery as fine arts. Most of our stuff is directly made for a market or for an advertisement or something like that. So, seeing it in a gallery environment is really cool,” said Ionescu.
For example, Ionescu designed a huge mural outside of a Calgary transit C-Train station. The grad is eyeing a career in the entertainment industry.
“I think I’ve also really found my style and the mediums I like to work in. I’ve really found this nice place where I can explore really happy bright themes, whimsical elements (and) organic elements,” said Ionescu.
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For the first time, Alberta University of the Arts is holding a community day to showcase the student exhibition. You can visit the campus showcase on May 28, from 2-5 p.m. to check out all the work.
If you cannot attend, you can visit the virtual exhibition which launches on May 26, after the student convocation. The online component which started during pandemic restrictions ended up being a big bonus.
“We’ve noticed that has allowed our students to really showcase their work, I mean throughout North America and beyond. So that there’s a value there that’s just quite amazing,” said Doz.
