BFA week is always my favorite time of year at school. I love walking around to all the exhibits, seeing and hearing what students have been working on and having frankly interesting conversations with my colleagues about my favorite topics... art, philosophy, etc.
It's interesting to me to see as well how students grapple, really for the first time, with those issues which confront us throughout our careers as artists...
What are we doing?
How should we do it?
Who are we doing it for?
How do I get an audience (without being a complete and total ass or maybe how do I become a complete and total ass so I don't have to worry about this part any more?)
How do I talk about my work?
I sometimes find student work particularly interesting because students (not always) but sometimes are less self-conscious about the work itself. Some, unfortunately, can't turn the voices off and end up making or defending work for some imagined, mental Frankenstein of another... Oh well... that's a creature I know as well.
I think the BFA defense is an incredible experience for these young artists. What a confidence builder to be able to take on your faculty and remain aware. It's a thrill to see them accomplish this.
The images are from Matthew Palmer's BFA defense.
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