Boston University School of Visual Arts Presents the 2025 Undergraduate Thesis Exhibitions
Exhibitions feature works by graduating seniors in BFA Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Design, and the BA in Art
Boston University School of Visual Arts Presents the 2025 Undergraduate Thesis Exhibitions
Exhibitions feature works by graduating seniors in BFA Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Design, and the BA in Art
Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Visual Arts proudly announces the 2025 BFA Thesis Exhibitions, celebrating the culmination of four years of artistic development and rigorous studio practice. The BFA exhibitions will be on view from April 29 through May 10 across the 808 Gallery, 808 Corridor Gallery, and Commonwealth Gallery, with a public reception on Friday, May 2, from 5 to 8 pm.
Showcasing the work of 66 students in the BFA programs in Painting, Sculpture, and Graphic Design, along with the BA in Art cohort, these exhibitions highlight the dynamic range of voices, ideas, and media that define the next generation of visual artists and designers. The BA in Art Capstone Exhibition will be on view in Gallery 5 from May 5 to 16, with a reception on Monday, May 5 from 7 to 9 pm. The shows are free and open to the general public.
“This community is grounded in the courage to take risks and the vulnerability inherent in creative expression. The ties that bind these students are the threads of content, material, and form—woven together through a multidisciplinary discourse that spans their diverse practices,” says Marc Schepens, Director, ad interim, BU School of Visual Arts; Senior Lecturer in Art, Painting. “The 2025 BFA Thesis Exhibition brings these artists and designers into one space: the 808 Gallery. Here, individual voices converge to create a collective tapestry—a vibrant and layered expression of their efforts, identities, and ideas.”
This community is grounded in the courage to take risks and the vulnerability inherent in creative expression. The ties that bind these students are the threads of content, material, and form—woven together through a multidisciplinary discourse that spans their diverse practices.
Each discipline offers a unique yet interconnected lens on contemporary practice.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
The 2025 BFA Graphic Design Thesis Show explores the harmony and complexity of individual paths intersecting in shared creative spaces. Through analog and digital practices—from sewing needles to 3D software—the students challenge conventions and celebrate collaboration.
The exhibition carefully balances personal values with our communal voice, embracing the ebb and flow of collaboration…As we learn, grow, and redefine our individuality within local and global communities, we also celebrate the joys of embracing the uncertainties and possibilities ahead. The 2025 BFA Graphic Design Thesis Show is a testament to our dedication and grit, the product of collective efforts, and our continuous evolution and growth.
BFA Graphic Design Exhibiting Students
Nicholas Abreu • Lily Adabelle Bailey • Luci Barrett • Corrina Blood • Owen Casey • Valentina Ceballos Díaz • Julia Cheung • Pink Chotikakovit • Hayley Clark • Abigail Conant • Heather Davies • Simone Dudar • Riley Fitzpatrick • Leila Garner • Lilia Geguchadze • Kelly Guo • Amina Hachimura • Grace Hong • Gloria, Tzu-Hsuan Huang • Selena Huang • Shi Shi Jacobs • Zoey Jeong • Yeji Kim • Andrea Lander Vegas • Priya Landrigan • Chloe Seoyeon Lee • Bonnie Lin • Stephanie Liu • Yuka Masamura • Katelyn Murphy • Comfort Omotunde • Yewon Park • Sheryl Peng • Vanessa Perez • Alexandra Purdy • Annika Pyo • Kate Ragosta • Hector D. Rivera • Andrea Rojas Doupovec • Soph Ang Russo • Dar Saravia • Zihan Tang • Hailey Wang • Ruxian Wang • Nue Yamazaki
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE
Works by fourteen seniors in Painting and Sculpture stretch across the 808 Gallery and Commonwealth Gallery, showcasing diverse approaches to material, narrative, and meaning. Students explore memory, emotion, identity, environment, and the idea of home with an emphasis on reflection and engagement.
This year’s Painting and Sculpture exhibition benefited from a special collaboration with Boyeon Chon, Curatorial Assistant at the BU Art Galleries and MA Candidate in History of Art & Architecture, who served as curator for the BFA Painting and Sculpture show. Working closely with students and faculty member Daniela Rivera, Visiting Professor of Painting, Chon participated in studio visits, class critiques, and exhibition planning—an experience that reflects the interdisciplinary ethos and mentorship that define the BU community.
“These artists do not simply present artworks, they infuse artworks with agency, which in turn creates space for reflection and invites viewers to actively engage, not just merely observe.” -Boyeon Chon, Curatorial Assistant at the BU Art Galleries and MA Candidate in History of Art & Architecture
BFA Painting Exhibiting Students
Steven Barratt • Lauren Boysa • Leila Garner • Saoirse Killion • Sicheng (Steven) Li • Kathryn Reno • Natalie Seitz • Arielle Shultz • Eli Siegel • Anthony Venturi • Di Wu
BFA Sculpture Exhibiting Students
Aanika Akkaraju • Glen Hong • Corrine Nichols • Kathryn Reno
BA ART
Complementing the BFA shows, the BA Capstone Exhibition showcases the work of 8 graduating students from the BA in Art program, which integrates arts research with broad-based studio art training.
On view in Gallery 5 from May 5 through May 16, this exhibition highlights how students have integrated art-making with diverse academic interests across the university. Whether through painting, photography, sculpture, installation, or time-based media, each project reflects a unique synthesis of research, critical inquiry, and creative practice. The work on view invites viewers into a conversation about how art can intersect with fields like science, literature, technology, and social advocacy, underscoring the power of the visual arts as a tool for investigation and expression. A reception will be held Monday, May 5, from 7 to 9 pm.
BA Art Exhibiting Students
Katie Daileader • Anita Emokpae • Gabriela Garcia-Mendoza • Olivia Hwang • Ryang Won Kim • Heather Li • Anna Paradise • Teresa Weng
Special thanks to the BU BFA graphic design students who were part of the 2025 BFA Thesis Branding Team: Lily Bailey, Kelly Guo, Amina Hachimura, Shi Shi Jacobs, Andrea Lander Vegas, Yuka Masamura, Katelyn Murphy, Comfort Omotunde, Sheryl Peng, Annika Pyo, Ruxian (Rashina) Wang! Additional thanks to Claire Bula, Lecturer in Art, Graphic Design, for leading the Branding Team and class.