University Galleries of Illinois State University presents the 2022 Student Annual through May 8, 2022. All events are free and open to the public.

Exhibition

The Wonsook Kim School of Art is pleased to present the 2022 Marshall Dulaney Pitcher Award to M.F.A. student Japheth Asiedu-Kwarteng. This award honors outstanding students in the visual arts who demonstrate exceptional artistic talent, dedicated studio practice, and academic excellence. This year marks the 52nd anniversary of this prestigious award, which was established by the Pitcher family in memory of painting student Marshall Pitcher. University Galleries has traditionally dedicated exhibition space within the Student Annual to winners of the Marshall Dulaney Pitcher Award and a new installation by Asiedu-Kwarteng is displayed on the entrance wall.


Since 1974, the Student Annual has showcased new artwork produced by students at Illinois State University. This exhibition has offered many students the first opportunity to have their work reviewed by professionals outside the University. Each year, two external arts professionals determine which works are selected for the exhibition and which works receive awards.

Judges

This year’s studio judge is Tempestt Hazel, a curator, writer, and co-founder of Sixty Inches From Center, a Chicago-based arts publication and archiving initiative that has promoted and preserved the practices of artists across the Midwest since 2010. She’s also still smiling about the fact that she was the 2019 recipient of the J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award from the Society of American Archivists. You can read her writing, explore her curatorial projects, and learn about her love of archives by visiting her website at tempestthazel.com

This year’s design judge is Lisa Elzey Mercer, a designer, educator, and researcher. Her interests are in developing and executing design interventions that fuel and sustain responsible design for social impact. The developed frameworks and tools are intended to create a space for conversation and knowledge exchange where participants can collaborate in creating new ideas and solutions. This type of methodology is evidenced in her current projects focused on the topics of human trafficking, incarceration, race, and racism. She is an assistant professor of graphic design and design for responsible innovation in the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Events and programming

All events are free and open to the public.

Thursday, April 14, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Opening reception with awards announced at 5:15 p.m.

Saturday, April 16, from noon to 2 p.m.
All-ages artmaking workshop. Materials and instruction provided by University Galleries’ staff. Free and no reservations required. Drop in any time between noon and 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 23 at 1 p.m.
Tour and Workshop: Art Around You. Co-presented with the Children’s Discovery Museum. Register at childrensdiscoverymuseum.net

Field trip program, curator-led tours, and workshops available by appointment throughout the exhibition. Stipends are available for K-12 schools or community organizations to offset the costs of transportation. Please contact University Galleries at gallery@ilstu.edu or (309) 438-5487 to schedule an appointment.

University Galleries, a unit in the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts, is located at 11 Uptown Circle, Suite 103, at the corner of Beaufort and Broadway streets. Parking is available in the Uptown Station parking deck located directly above University Galleries—the first hour is free, as well as any time after 5:01 p.m.

You can find University Galleries on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and sign up to receive email updates through the newsletter. Please contact gallery@IllinoisState.edu or call (309) 438-5487 if you need to arrange an accommodation to participate in any events related to these exhibitions.