School of Visual Arts MFA Thesis Exhibitions Open
Five graduating master’s students talk about their work
School of Visual Arts MFA Thesis Exhibitions Open
Five graduating master’s students talk about their work
This article was originally published in BU Today on April 10, 2026. By BU Today staff. Photos by Cydney Scott
EXCERPT
In an annual rite of the spring semester, students graduating from the College of Fine Arts School of Visual Arts master’s programs are showcasing their thesis projects—the culmination of two years of intensive work— at campus exhibitions throughout the coming weeks.
This year’s MFA Thesis Exhibitions include work by 40 artists. Together, they capture the dazzling breadth and talent found in the 2026 MFA cohort (undergraduate theses shows will be held next month).
The Graphic Design exhibition is on view at the 808 Gallery, and the Sculpture and Print Media & Photography exhibitions are across the street at the Stone Gallery, all through April 18. The Painting exhibition will be on display at the Stone Gallery from April 28 through May 17. And the Visual Narrative program will host an event showcasing student work on May 1.
We asked five graduating MFA students to talk about their thesis projects. Take a look.
Anna Pugh (CFA’26)
MFA Painting
I tend to work on multiple pieces simultaneously, so there are a few large paintings underway right now as a part of my thesis work. In my studio practice I am pretty process-oriented, which for me means I am always improvising and responding to my work as it is created. To make a painting, I use the shadows of objects from the environment around me to create compositions with layered silhouettes. The work ends up appearing not quite representational and not quite abstract. When looking at the shapes made with the shadows of these plants, insects, rocks, and so on, there is both a sense of the unknown and also a familiarity, which I’ve found evokes a wide scope of interpretations and experiences for viewers.
Madison Hoppler (CFA’26)
MFA Graphic Design
I’m really focused on tactile making, especially the book as an object. I hand-bind a lot of my work, including many of the books within my thesis work, so I’m thinking a lot about the book not just as something you read, but as a physical form. I’m also interested in time and labor, and how they relate to bookmaking. I mainly use paper to build and shape my books, especially experimenting with different textures and weights. I also use waxed thread for binding because it’s strong and works really well for stitching. Sometimes I bring in other materials depending on the piece, but paper and thread are the core.
Paola Dartigues (CFA’26)
MFA Sculpture
I’ve been thinking about how I relate to time and how I relate to this city. It’s a process that started when I arrived here. I’m working with two very different materials, paper and stone, and trying to understand them through time. Paper feels fragile and temporary, while stone holds a much longer sense of time. So I’m comparing these materials as two different ways of experiencing time.
Runqi Yang (CFA’26)
MFA Visual Narrative
My thesis is a long comic, and my comic is about a cartoonist who is accidentally trapped inside his unfinished comic world, and he has to find his way to come back to the real world. I want my readers to know what the inside world of a cartoonist might feel like.
Vic Ferreira Sardinha (CFA’26)
MFA Print Media & Photography
My thesis project revolves around my experience as a first-generation American. I am fascinated by photographs as a tool for memory and as a way to connect people. I draw upon an archive of my mother’s and grandmother’s photographs and create what I call memory landscapes. I hope to convey the idea that memory is malleable, buildable, and generational, and that an archive like this is a tool for connection.