College of Visual and Performing Arts Presents 'Unsettled, Unbridled, Unbound,' the 2024 M.F.A. Exhibition

The College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) at Syracuse University is pleased to announce the exhibition “Unsettled, Unbridled, Unbound,” featuring the work of 38 artists completing their master of fine arts degree in studio arts, illustration and film and media arts.

Sequential exhibitions will be open to the public March 22-30, April 5-13 and April 19-28, providing an opportunity to experience the latest work by emerging artists as they grapple with what it means to make art in this socio-political moment. “Despite the diverse range of ideas, reflections and projects, an elusive yet resonant undercurrent of unsettlement, whether subtle or overflowing, serves as a shared wellspring of inspiration,” says curator Juliana Fagua Arias, Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University.

Spanning disciplines that include painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, film, video, installation and performance, the exhibition offers a glimpse into the artists’ diverse practices and innovative approaches. A complete list of each exhibition’s participating artists can be found below with links to their digital portfolios.

The themes and concepts presented by the artists in this year’s exhibition range from the disruption of archival histories to explorations of intersectional identity centered on gender, migration and belonging. Arias explains, “Borne from diverse origins like the echoes of family history, the winds of political turmoil, the currents of environmental challenges, the shadows of systemic oppression or the reflections on mortality, this internal unease becomes a poetic muse—a force propelling creative resistance, eliciting responses, and inspiring reactions.”

An abstract sculpture and a photograph of two women, one of whom is holding the other's face in her hands. — From left: Declan Yurt, “Reveal” (2022); Jasmine Veronica, “Grace of Her Touch” (2023)

Though their interests vary widely, most of the presenting artists work interdisciplinary as they forge new ground through exploratory creative processes. “The challenging exploration of these complex ideas and emotions becomes a graceful liberation, a gentle release from the weight of anguish, allowing for an embrace of a subtle yet empowering sentiment of freedom,” says Arias.

The exhibition will be held at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse galleries, 350 W. Fayette St., Syracuse, with opening receptions on March 22 and April 5, 6-8 p.m., and April 19, 7-9 p.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artists, learn about their inspiration and creative process and engage with the vibrant arts community of Syracuse.

According to Arias, “the exhibition is envisioned as an unrestricted stage where artists feel at liberty to reveal and perform their provocative, vulnerable and unbound selves. It is a celebration of artistic expression, offering a space for self-discovery and liberation from the constraints that may have previously held them back.”

“Unsettled, Unbridled, Unbound” is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are daily, noon-5 p.m.

The cohort will exhibit additional works at Novado Gallery, 110 Morgan St., Jersey City, New Jersey, from April 26-May 4, with an opening reception scheduled for April 26 from 6-9 p.m.

For more information about the exhibition, contact Kate Warren, .