Reception: Thursday, Sept. 4, 4-6 p.m.
Eight School of Art graduate students will showcase their work in “Surface Tension” from Aug. 26 to Oct. 2 at the Lionel Rombach Gallery.
The exhibition features the work of Arshia Amin, Aubrey Behrens, Molly Etchberger, Steven Gray, Alexis Joy Hagestad, Angelica Jones, Porter Norton McDonald and Eden Squires. The show is the culminating event of the Spring 2025 Interdisciplinary Graduate Critique Class, taught by Assistant Professor of Practice Yana Payusova.
Exhibition statement
What is the boundary between one object and another? How do we distinguish between the viewer and the artist, or between the surface of an artwork and its inner workings? In an era defined by observation and diminishing privacy, these questions highlight a persistent tension in our lives. This exhibition explores the space in between where artwork exists as both subject and witness.
This exhibition brings together a diverse range of practices that interrogate communication, facades, and their existence across psychological and geographic territories. Across media, the artists engage with themes of surveillance and exposure in a setting where boundaries are increasingly blurred. These works propose a deeper awareness of the spaces we occupy, the systems that mediate them, and the forces that shape our perceptions.
Exhibition checklist
Arshia Amin: “Steeping Identity” (2025), Transparent acrylic tubes filled with brewed tea and tea leaves
Angelica Jones: “Shadows of Reflection” (2025), Oil on canvas
Molly Etchberger
Porter McDonald: “The Book of Mongō” (2025), Stoneware, glaze, underglaze, acrylic
Steven Gray: “Jupiter Hurling Thunderbolts at the Vices (1-3)” (2025), Lenticular Photographs
Eden Squires: “Detour” (2025), Steel, aluminum, spray paint electronics
Alexis Joy Hagestad: “Section 17(b): Land eligible for leasing” (2025), Archival pigment print, plastic felling wedges, steel cable choker
Aubrey Behrens: “Transience” (2025), Wire
