The Sarofim School of Fine Arts presents B.A. senior art exhibitions by Ciaran Bell, Hannah Mitchell, and Vanessa Saldivar on display in the Sarofim Fine Arts Gallery from April 22 - 28. Virtual gallery talks will take place Thursday, April 22, beginning at 6:00 followed by smaller breakout sessions with individual artists until 7:30 p.m. at this RingCentral Meetings link:

Watch a recording of Ciaran Bell’s, Hannah Mitchell’s, and Vanessa Saldivar’s Virtual Artist Lectures via Youtube here.

Ciaran Bell’s Hymnal is a story of identity, trauma, and learning to love oneself told through the eyes of monsters. Each monster she creates embodies the spirit of defiance in the face of institutional oppression and human resilience, exploring these themes through mixed-media ceramic sculptures depicting mythical creatures that are both rooted in imagination and social reality. Through these works, Bell tells a tale of growing, becoming, and learning to live with the monsters that shape us.

Hannah Mitchell’s installation Morpheus, aims to explore the abstract relationship between human memory, thought, and experience in its shared relationship with others by manipulating a series of cloud-like forms floating above the viewer,  enhanced by sound and moving images of shared memories.   The artist’s goal is to create spaces that represent the abstract concepts of thought and memory. Morpheus looks to serve as a physical manifestation of the mental scape.

Vanessa Saldivar’s Our Best Friends: The Role of Pets in Communicating Emotion During Quarantine in the Age of COVID-19, concentrates on the relationship between communication and beloved pets during the age of COVID-19. Through this work, she aims to connect with her audience through the moments and emotions shared between people and their pets, exploring how they bring comfort and companionship while helping to transform our houses into homes.

The Sarofim Fine Arts Gallery is closed to the public, but is free and open to the Southwestern University community Tuesdays through Fridays 12 - 5 p.m. either by appointment or drop-in.

Please use this form to book an in person appointment to see the Spring 2021 Senior Art Exhibitions in the Sarofim School of Fine Arts Gallery.

You may visit the gallery if you are a staff member, faculty member, or an enrolled student.

Some things to keep in mind before you visit:

– No parents can attend the events in line with Southwestern University’s no outside visitors policy.  We recommend a virtual tour/walk through as a potential way to share with parents.

– Student worker is on site to monitor all visitor appointments. Visitors should “sign in and sign out” with the fine arts gallery proctor located outside in the Fine Arts building hallway.

– Capacity recommendation: 5 visitors each half hour with guests arriving on the hour and the half hour.

– Time limit: 30 minutes

– Use markers on the floor to aid in social distancing within the gallery.

– Double masking is encouraged.

– Ventilation in space is not high quality.