Arts Thread

Above: Mason Gross School of the Arts thesis projects 1. Tara Mastromihalis/ 2-3  Jack Shergalis/4. Elizabeth Calderone/ 5-6 Sara Shrier/ 7 Giancarlo Venturini

BFA students from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University are presenting their thesis projects in a virtual show titled From Where You Are.

The show features the work of 29 visual arts students who represent a broad spectrum of styles and disciplines from drawing to media, photography, print and sculpture.

Work on display in the From Where You Are virtual show will explore a range of issues from gender to chosen families, nature, anxiety, solitude and connection.

Tara Mastromihalis' From A Distance project explores the artists' interest in architecture. Mastromihalis crowd-sourced images from friends and strangers of architecture that speaks to their own tastes and also allows the artist to escape their own surroundings and discover new places.

A House is a Body, a Body is a House by Elizabeth Calderone explores the concept of what makes a home. 'After living through years of emotional abuse by my mother and being rescued by my father, I am now living alone for the first time and am thinking a lot about this idea,' writes Calderone. 'I am slowly coming to terms with the thought that home can be myself; my own body, even if some days I don’t want to be alive.'

Calderone continues: 'But this series of work isn’t about all that bad past junk. It is about how, every day, I am trying to be better. Some days are a lot harder than others, and I don’t have the motivation to leave my bed, but at least I have a cat who loves me dearly. I also have a wonderful support system that I am deeply grateful for.'

Jack Shergalis' illustrative work includes the project I Don't Drink, a 6 page comic strip starring the disturbing characters Skullbaby, Yuckface, Explortar and Nihilsmo as they play a tabletop roleplaying game.

Sara Shrier's Sara Doll is a mixed media project that looks at how dolls act as vessels for us to project our personalities. The project includes a 9.5 inch polymer clay doll created by the artist and is accompanied by a series of gouache and acrylic paintings that explore the theme of identity.



Through Borders, Through Time by Giancarlo Venturini is a visual diary of the artist's daily walks and explorations. The project features paintings, drawings, quotes, song lyrics and personal writing. 'These artworks investigate looking through borders, crossing personal ones, and the journey across international divides. Together these paintings, drawings, and sculptures are a yearlong documentation of my experiences and translation of my thoughts,' writes Venturini.



Maya Tillman's multimedia project, Eve's Garden, is an expression of the artist's own personal spirituality. The project features soundscapes, written word, video and photography. Tillman says of the project: 'I have researched modern methods such as meditation, spatial immersion, and healing soundscapes in order to identify accessible self-healing practices. I choose to perform improvisational movement pieces in real garden spaces, which historically represent a utopian place of peace and self- reflection.'

Emily Graf's project, Hands In Your Food, looks at the artist's experience of being a picky eater and their relationship to their weight and body image. Pieces in the project include the Bath Water digital photography series featuring a model bathing in leafy greens and the Veggies sculpture of a hand made from corn, peas, lima beans and green beans.

To view all of the thesis projects visit the Mason Gross School of the Arts From Where You Are virtual exhibition website.