DeKALB — The Bachelor of Fine Arts senior time arts students have been pushing for a venue change for their art exhibition.
The time arts major encompasses coursework in 2D/3D animation, video art, sound, data visualization and interactivity.
The spring exhibition serves as a capstone project for BFA art students as a way to summarize everything they’ve learned during their time at NIU. Recently, the students have been working with the administration in an attempt to move the show to a location with more visitors than the Art Building.
Eric Moore, a senior time arts major, wants the showcase to have a bigger turnout.
“Right now, I just want to shoot for the stars and just shoot for any venue that we could get that would be able to hold a lot of people,” Moore said. “We want to make sure that our turnout is even bigger than the previous years.”
At this time, there is no confirmed venue change to the showcase venue; however, administration is actively working to better understand the students’ preferences. Changing the location may also create challenges, depending on how students plan to present their work.
Jessica Labatte, the director of the School of Art and Design, shared that every student’s needs for the showcase change every year.
“Over the years, we’ve tried many different ways of doing the shows, and sometimes it changes based on what the particular group of students wants,” Labatte said.
Recently, the library faculty and staff have been collaborating with the School of Art and Design to exhibit illustration students’ work and have begun discussions about relocating the showcase to the Founders Memorial Library.
“The library has been a great partner for us in the School of Art and Design; we’ve done a lot of collaborative events with them over the years and lots of exhibits in that space,” Labatte said.
While the students are working with the School of Art and Design, they are also attempting to put together a show with their own funding.
“Some students want to do an exhibition showcase by themselves,” Kaab Mustafa said, a senior time arts major. “Not in terms of by themselves as individuals, but away from the Art Building, still as a collective.”
He also said relocating the exhibit was important because it would allow students to share their work with a broader audience.
“There’s some amazing work that goes on in there (Art Building),” Mustafa said. “We’re kind of secluded in that space, and I know there’s definitely a push to get it out of that space.”
