“We would like to thank all of the students who applied to this years MFA Exhibition Online titled Raw. There were 575 submission that were pared down to 50 selected works. The seven jurors from Montana State University and The University of Montana reviewed applicants individually and then met as a group to discuss notes, concepts and eventually decide on the final works that would be included in this exhibition.
The jurying process was difficult. There were many artworks of outstanding quality that did not make the cut. Our jurors pool had vastly different tastes. However, our differences in opinion contributed to a well rounded representation of the work that was submitted. As an abstract ceramic sculptor, I was aware of my own bias towards the medium of clay, large scale works, sculpture, and abstraction.
Brook Armstrong
MFA candidate University of Montana
brookearmstrongceramics.com
@brookejarmstrong
“Jurying this show was no simple task: to choose only 50 out of 574 images of work created by our peers, during one of the most difficult moments to be a graduate student in memory, felt monumental. Although the internet has given us unusual access to each other’s work, this was such a unique opportunity to look at what other students are creating right now, not just what has been curated into my Instagram feed. Such a view across mediums is rare and special, and I am grateful to everyone who extended themselves to submit their work. You were all seen, you were all appreciated- I needed a reminder of why we MAKE, of what can come of all that studio time.
“When going through the volumes of images and videos that were submitted for “Raw”, what stood out to me was vast array of possibilities individuals found to express what raw meant to them. It was inspiring to see work that was so brave and honest in its highly personal and emotional rawness and to see the work that was so imaginative and inventive in its highly experimental form of rawness. I want to say thank you to everyone who submitted to the show, and congratulations to everyone who was selected, all of you were courageous in sharing your work. Whichever interpretation of “Raw” the artist used, it’s clear to me that graduate school and the particular circumstances in this era of Covid, that we find ourselves in 2020, has challenged us to find ways to express our bravery, our innovation, and our determination to make it out the other side. It is this brilliant display of work that gives me optimism that brighter days will come and we will be more embracing and appreciative of those successes because we have gone through this struggle and prevailed.
“My name Is Laurel McKay and I’m a third year MFA candidate at Montana State University. In my own artwork I focus on printmaking and metals, emphasizing in my current body of work, an exploration of identity that is free of gender, sexuality, class or race, in the hopes of opening up space for conversations around these systemic oppressions that affect us all.
“It was a great treat to look at the works my peers are making. There are amazing artists out there taking risks and offering infinite reflections of the way reality can be. When considering the works I enjoy thinking about the story the artist is telling through their choices. The stories we tell ourselves inform how we show up in the world. Art is a powerful form of storytelling that can reach beyond words.