The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Art, in partnership with the Institute of Contemporary Art, will host the 2024 Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Thesis Exhibition from March 26–April 20.
The exhibition will take place in the ICA Galleries in the UTC Fine Arts Center, located at the intersection of Dr. Roland Carter Street (formerly known as Vine Street) and Palmetto Street.
The opening artist talks and receptions are free and open to the public, and registration is not required. The opening talks will take place in UTC’s Benwood Auditorium, located across the street from the Fine Arts Center in the Engineering and Computer Science Building (735 Vine St.). Parking is available in adjacent UTC lots.
The annual BFA Senior Thesis Exhibition is the capstone achievement of graduating BFA studio majors, comprised of a public exhibition and artist lecture series—which represents the culmination of two years of intensive artistic and intellectual development for the department’s Bachelor of Fine Arts candidates. This year’s class is a cohort of 28 artists from four BFA studio concentrations—graphic design, painting and drawing, photography and media art, and sculpture.
“This year’s senior class is a diverse and curious group of emerging artists,” said Rachel Waldrop, director and curator of the ICA. “They are exploring signs and systems as a function of meaning-making, as well as the growth of artificial intelligence—particularly its influence and implications on ‘truth’ as well as its impact on our individual social identities.”
This year’s artistic cohort collectively spoke about their 2024 exhibition design: “At its core, this year’s exhibition design reflects the simple yet profound notion that artists ideate from their minds into tangible creations made through their hands. Our show embraces diverse styles and personalities, each expressed through our unique hand gestures. Our hands operate as creative instruments, manifesting ideas in a variety of mediums that speak to the depths of our exploration.”
This year’s BFA student members have created a website showcasing their work: 2024bfautc.neocities.org.
2024 BFA Senior Thesis Exhibitions
Show 1: March 26-April 6
- Artist talks and opening reception: Thursday, March 28, 5-6:30 p.m., Benwood Auditorium, Zoom option: com/2024BFAshow1; reception follows until 8 p.m. in the ICA Galleries and Fine Arts Center lobby
- Artists: Megan Bailey, Gabriella Gloster, Kate Greenwell, Ryn Hambrick, Jaden Hestla, Hailee Kennedy, Magan Marks, Brooke Morgan, Maddie Nunnery, Conner Seavey, Ally Spruill, Porter Tomaszewski, Dylan Wood, Mohammad Omar Yasin
Show 2: April 10-20
- Artist talks and opening reception: Friday, April 12, 5-6:30 p.m., Benwood Auditorium, Zoom option: com/2024BFAshow2; reception follows until 8 p.m. in the ICA Galleries and Fine Arts Center lobby
- Artists: Yamman Dean Azzouz, Maddie Benefield, Bryce Cullum, Lily Dixon, Joseph Goodman, Tred Hill, Eli Ladner, Manny Martin, Zoe Rye, Emma Soefker, Andy Tate, Angie Vasquez, Nico Wilcher, Emma Womble
For more information:
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About the Institute of Contemporary Art and UTC Department of Art:
The Fine Arts Center is home to the Institute of Contemporary Art, which presents challenging, curious, and adventurous encounters with contemporary art and artists. The ICA at UTC is the first ICA in the state of Tennessee and is always free and open to the general public as well as to our campus community. The ICA facility comprises two exhibition galleries. For more information, visit icachatt.org or contact Rachel Waldrop, director and curator, Institute of Contemporary Art: hello@icachatt.org. Public hours: Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday noon-4 p.m.
The UTC Department of Art strives to be at the forefront of undergraduate education in the making and study of art. As art has power and is woven into all aspects of the world around us, UTC Art aims to nurture diverse voices through curriculum, programming, pedagogy, and community engagement. UTC Art’s mission is to offer an accessible, rigorous, and supportive learning environment that exposes students to a wide range of creative processes and intellectual models for contemporary practice. Faculty guide students as they strive to meet their individual goals, preparing them for successful futures in diverse fields. With approximately 300 students and 16 full-time faculty, UTC Art offers BFA degrees with concentrations in Graphic Design, Painting and Drawing, Photography and Media Art, and Sculpture—as well as BA degrees in Art Education, Art History, and Studio Art. UTC is a NASAD-accredited institution. For more information, visit utc.edu/arts-and-sciences/department-of-art.
