SMFA Highlights

Our SMFA community includes faculty, staff, students, and alumni who are accomplished working artists, scholars, researchers, and activists. Below is a running listing of some of their many recent exhibitions, awards, publications, and other notable accomplishments.

Professor of the Practice Zora J Murff alongside Lecturer Rana Young have curated a photography group exhibition titled TAKE IT FROM HERE at Abakus Projects. The show will be on view now through Sunday, May 26. The exhibiting artists include Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Jasmine Clarke, Peah Pauline Guilmoth, Kathryn Harrison, Alec Kaus, Tommy Kha, Lindley Warren Mickunas and Nadiya Nacorda.

Professor of the Practice Chantal Zakari and Lecturer Mike Mandel have been invited to participate in the 2nd Providence Photo Book Fair, April 20-21, 12-5 pm at 159 Sutton Street Gallery. Participants include Professor of the Practice Bill Burke, alum Sarah Malakoff and Abakus Projects/Hank Hauptmann. The fair is free and open to all.

Professor of the Practice Kendall Reiss has been selected to feature her work in the international contemporary jewelry triennial, KORU8, showcasing pieces from her project BEING [with] TREES alongside creations by 49 other artists. Reiss is one of only three artists from the US participating in the exhibition. Her cast glass pieces will be on display at the Finnish Forest Museum Lusto from May 17 to December 1, followed by a showing at The Oulu Art Museum in winter 2025. Additionally, Reiss's work will be featured in The Nature of Imperfection: Jewelry and Adornment, an exhibition organized by the Society of Arts & Crafts Boston. The online exhibition will be showcased on SA+C's social media platforms, with a print catalogue set to release in May

Professor of the Practice Rachelle Mozman Solano has been awarded a 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship.

Last month at the quarterly, third-party inspection of our campus, our custodial staff received their highest score yet! We appreciate all their hard work keeping our campus clean year round!

SMFA alum Janella Mele BFA ’18 is vending at Somerville Open Studios on May 4 and 5 where her art studio building will also be open to the public. Mele's animated short has been selected to be showcased at the Brattle Theatre through GRRL HAUS Cinema on April 18.

Professor of the Practice Cristobal Cea is going to be part of TedX Tufts 2024 on April 13 at the JCC. In the presentation, Cea will describe the stories behind his work on monsters, misinformation, and other dangers of imagination that form the base for America Imaginaria: a class at SMFA where students learn how to creatively engage with the unknown, using creativity as a way to break the cognitive barriers of terror, bias, and dehumanization. Buy tickets here.

Four SMFA seniors, Keith Truong, Carter Powers, Louisa Najar, and Julie Francois have been awarded the Stephen D. Paine scholarship this year with a coinciding gallery show Art Futures at Piano Craft Gallery from March 29-April 7. The reception will be held Thursday, April 4 from 6-8 pm. All are welcome to attend.

Four SMFA students are being featured in the Photographic Resource Center 2024 Student show; Paul Fauller, Julie Francois, Barkat Mehra, Matilda Peng. The show is being exhibited at the VanDernoot Gallery at Lesley University from April 4 - April 26. Closing reception will be held on April 26, from 6-8 pm. All are welcome to attend.

Recent (Jan/Feb 2024) Art New England magazine reviewed SMFA alum Minoo Emami's community-based project and live performance, Body Quilt- A Fire for Peace, and retrospective art exhibition, Under My Veil, at Hartford Art School at Hartford University. Read the article here.

Professor of the Practice Jennie Jieun Lee's solo exhibition Strawberry Nose at COOPER COLE Gallery in Toronto, Canada, opens on March 22.

Professor of the Practice Cristobal Cea has been chosen to take part in TONO Festival 24, which is loosely guided by the theme of metamorphosis. Presented in partnership with the Perez Art Museum, this year's festival will explore moments of transformation and regeneration. It will include works by artists such as Gabriel Massan from Brazil, Ali Cherri from Lebanon, Carlos Motta from Colombia, Agnes Questionmark from Italy, and Biarrittzz from Brazil.