The five artists forming the spring 2020 BFA cohort at New Mexico State University each engage in research examining their understanding of themselves within a complex world; made all the more convoluted by the incursion of COVID-19 into their practice. United in their clarity and commitment that saw them through the completion and documentation of their work with a minimum of tools and a lack of studio facilities, their accomplishments are, with more reason, laudable given these challenging times. Please click on each name to enter the student sites. —Department Head, Julia M. Barello
Shaunia Grant |
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| Mundane Remedy Series Powder Coat, Copper, Pig Intestines, Pills 2020 |
| “The act of taking medicine becomes mundane and allows for the ignoring of the complex place it takes in the lives of those who need it. In my work I hope to express the mundane yet necessary reality that a body is needed in order to continue supporting life, but it is not always a source of comfort.” |
Katelyn LaPage |
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| Emergence 7 ¼ x 4 x 6 ½ inches Plaster, plaster wraps, photo emulsion, acrylic paint 2020 |
“The photographs explore complex issues of identity from multiple perspectives examining the contrast between exterior and interior in both the concept of social structures and the emotional and psychological boundaries of identity.” |
Olivia Lemmons |
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| Surrender Oil on Canvas 60 x 72” 2019 |
“With an immense passion for tapping into the subconscious, I document my experience of transcendence of the day to day through the process of awakening to a higher consciousness through the practice of painting and sculpture.“ |
Alexxis Ortiz |
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| She Is Success, Alexxis Ortiz Closeup 20″ x 30″, Illustration/Print 2020 |
“Ortiz composes her body of work through contemporary art trends and emerging technologies with striking effectiveness offering viewers aesthetic pleasure lending way to critical consciousness.” |
Jose Antonio Suarez |
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| Nam Coronatus Digital composite photograph 24” x 32 “ 2019 |
“The underlying study is of power and dominance fueled through the confidence of identity, built on the fictional religious-based interpretation of my Catholic past.“ |
College of Arts and Sciences
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Mailing Address: |
Physical Address: Devasthali Hall, Rm 118 1308 E University Ave Las Cruces, NM 88003 |
