Toward the end of spring, local colleges and universities observe a right of passage: the student art show. What such exhibitions lack, at times, in craft or sophistication, they make up for in exuberance. (On the other hand, sometimes they are dazzling displays of craft and sophistication.) Check out the following shows for a glimpse of emerging talent in the Bay area — and let's hope a few of those talents stick around and make a difference locally.
The University of South Florida's MFA Graduation Exhibition, titled Closure, is one not to miss. The third annual showcase of projects by USF's Master of Fine Art candidates (USF Contemporary Art Museum, through May 2, ira.usf.edu) features work by Kimberly Adams, Jeremy Chandler, April Childers, Rebecca Flanders, Chad Harmon, Shane Hoffman, Lauren Howard, James Reiman, Ivan Reyes-Garcia, Marta Slaughter, Jonathan Vaughan and Wesley Wetherington. Bay area art lovers may recognize some of those names from past exhibitions and events, including Gala Corina, Dunedin Fine Art Center's Contain It! and [5]art exhibitions. Closure marks the culmination of three years' work by the graduating MFA students, who represent some of the most formidable talents working in Tampa.
Their undergraduate counterparts get a moment to shine with Pompous Circumstance, the USF Senior Thesis BFA Exhibition, at the West Tampa Center for the Arts [wtca-art.com] through May 1 with an opening reception Fri., April 10, 7-10 p.m. The University of Tampa [ut.edu] hosts its annual Juried Student Art Exhibition at the campus' Scarfone/Hartley Gallery through April 30. And Ringling College of Art and Design [ringling.edu] gets in the game with The Best of Ringling: The Annual Juried Student Exhibition at Selby Gallery, April 17-May 2 with an opening reception and awards ceremony on Fri., April 17, 5-8 p.m.
This article appears in Apr 8-14, 2009.