Ackland Art Museum displays work of eight Masters of Fine Arts students

While finals for UNC undergraduates are still just around the corner, eight graduating Masters of Fine Arts students now have their final work on display.

The exhibition of their work, titled “New Currents in Contemporary Art,” opened April 13 at the Ackland Art Museum and will run through May 13.

The exhibition features work by fine arts graduate students Lee Delegard, Ashley Florence, Cora Lim, Chris Musina, Jason Osborne, Neill Prewitt, Jonathan Sherrill and Seoun Som.

Lauren Turner, the curatorial assistant for the Ackland who curated the exhibition, said that although the students’ work was extremely varied, they were all adventurous with their art.

“These students are not afraid to go outside the specialties that they were accepted into the program,” Turner said.

Turner said the exhibition fits in with the recent contemporary exhibitions at the Ackland.

“The Ackland has been making an effort to show contemporary art, and this is contemporary as it gets.”

She said it was clear that the students inspired each other after two years of working close together and critiquing one another.

“I think that the program is very strong in encouraging students to collaborate and interact with each other,” she said.

Despite coming together as a group to present the work, many of the students had vastly different inspirations and processes for their pieces in the exhibition.

Sherrill said his pieces were created by tearing apart and sewing together his old paintings.

“Much of my work is cyclical,” he said. “I reuse things and work that I’ve made in the past.”

Lim said the different pieces came together well.

“Seeing us become like one big group, that was one of the most enjoyable parts about the program.”

Contact the Arts Editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.