Seventeen senior art majors will showcase an engaging variety of works in a special thesis exhibition titled “Us & Them” which begins Thursday.
The students’ artwork will be on display in two locations: the Department of Art Gallery in the lower level of McComas Hall and the Architecture Gallery in Giles Hall.
Two public receptions will take place Thursday, giving visitors a chance to connect names with faces by meeting and conversing with the students presenting their thesis works to the public.
The students make up Mississippi State’s largest group of graduating fine arts majors.
The artwork in the exhibition shows the results of years of dedicated study and hard work in the field of art, with students having studied art history, theory and work in the studio setting.
Students will present a wide range of works, including sculpture, photography, paintings and a short film. Senior art major Stephen Ward, who will be screening his film “Dependent” as part of the exhibition, said all of the students have worked exceedingly hard over the course of the semester in order for each of them to create a body of work they feel is worthy to present as their thesis.
“It doesn’t matter how simple your idea is; it always ends up being a hectic, mad dash for the finish,” he said. “There’s a lot of sleepless nights. Everybody’s been up to the same thing.”
Ward’s film tells the story of a man who wakes up one day to find everyone else in town has disappeared. The story follows him as he drinks himself into hallucinations that highlight the film’s theme of isolation.
“Dependent” will be showing in Bettersworth Auditorium in Giles Hall, Room 224, starting tomorrow at 7 p.m. It will be shown again on Thursday at 5 p.m. and Friday at 7 p.m.
With their artwork finally completed, students have spent long hours over the past several days installing their works in McComas Hall and Giles Hall, in preparation for it to be seen by family, friends and visitors.
Senior art major Sara Lamb will be presenting a series of sculpture pieces in the exhibition.
Lamb said she understands that although her work will be shown to many people, ultimately her own opinion of it is what truly matters.
“I’m here to really have fun with it and not be too serious,” she said. “I don’t care if people love my work, because it makes me happy.”
Thesis committee chair Brent Funderburk has been monitoring the students’ progress over the course of the semester, as well as teaching them in a course meant to educate them on the business of art outside of the college environment. He said he encourages the students participating in the exhibition to realize their achievements and celebrate what they have accomplished.
“This marks the major moment of having gotten this work completed,” Funderburk said. “Realize what you’ve done. It’s going to be beautiful. It’s going to be great.”
The reception in the Department of Art Gallery lasts from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., with the reception in the Architecture Gallery following from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Refreshments will be provided, and everyone interested is welcome and encouraged to attend.
The Department of Art Gallery in McComas Hall will be open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.
The Architecture Gallery in Giles Hall is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Sara Lamb