[Virtual] Open Studios 2021

[ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT | March 23, 2021]

The Yale School of Art hosts its annual graduate open studios virtually for the first time in 2021, with work presented online from the departments of Graphic Design, Painting/Printmaking, Photography, and Sculpture.

A unique digital platform with virtual studios will come online at 12AM on April 10, and across the two days members of the public can connect directly to artists and their studio spaces over Zoom, and attend a special series of student-organized virtual programs. Read the full announcement >>

For the developing schedule of events as it becomes available, subscribe to the School of Art’s public events calendar, available here.

Every fall, the Yale School of Art welcomes a new cohort of MFA students in its four areas of study: Graphic Design, Painting/Printmaking, Photography, and Sculpture. Each program is unique in its approach, but all are united through shared critical dialogue and a focus on individual studio activity.

One of the longest-standing traditions at the school is Open Studios. Hosted in the spring, it’s the only time during the academic year specifically reserved as a time of connection between the graduate studio space and the community beyond its walls. The weekend of Open Studios offers healing from the intellectual isolation of an always-stressful semester, as well as a chance to directly experience the work of an immensely talented group of emerging artists.

COVID shook the world just weeks before the scheduled dates for Open Studios in 2020—so in 2021, we’re grateful to be able to offer what we hope is an authentic digital representation of this traditionally intimate experience with each MFA students’ work and practice.

Every virtual studio was developed in collaboration with each participating artist, and many MFA students have generously offered to host times during which they will be available over Zoom, allowing members of the public to connect directly to the artists and their studio spaces. We’re also excited to be able to offer an array of community-organized virtual events across the two days, in the form of artist conversations, panel discussions, and screenings.

Welcome (virtually!) to the Yale School of Art 👋🏿👋🏾👋🏽👋🏼👋🏻👋

Text by Lindsey Mancini

CREDITS

2021 Open Studios graphic identity created by Mengjie Liu and Churong Mao, Graphic Design MFAs ‘21.

Production, digital strategy, and content management by Assistant Dean for Communications and Digital Media, Sarah Stevens-Morling, and Communications Associate and arts accessibility activist Lindsey Mancini.

YALE SCHOOL OF ART

1156 Chapel Street New Haven, CT

The Yale School of Art is a graduate school that confers MFAs in Graphic Design, Painting/Printmaking, Photography, and Sculpture; and offers undergraduate-level art courses to Yale College students.

In this casual conversational encounter, artists Maria de Los Angeles (MFA ‘15) and Nathaniel Donnett (MFA '21) will share the public nature of their artistic practices, unpacking the liminal spaces that allow for an expansion of the possibilities for art within the public space. Organized and hosted by SoA staff member and arts accessibility activist, Lindsey Mancini, “Power and Possibility” reconsiders the role and responsibilities of the artist in relation to their direct engagement within a larger local community.

This panel conversation considers how this group of painters—whose work emphasizes color—are thinking about color theory and related issues in 2021 at Yale; how color relates to language and nameability; the cultural and social associations of color; and color from a philosophical and mathematical perspective. Moderator Edd Ravn (MFA ‘20) will offer a historical perspective on the work by the panelists, including other color artists who have influenced their work and thought.

The Yale School of Art will be hosting a number of live, virtual events over the course of our 2021 Open Studios weekend. Meet artists in their studios, join us for panels and artist talks, and more.

The schedule of events for 2021 Open Studios is as follows:

OPEN STUDIOS: ZOOM EDITION

April 10 - 11, 2021

10AM - 6PM

Meet MFA students live in their studios over Zoom >>

SPRING THESIS EXHIBITIONS

Ongoing

Visit our developing exhibitons archive where you will find documentation photography, student-developed websites, and virtual walk-throughs of our 2021 and 2020 thesis shows.

View at art.yale.edu/exhibitions >>

SATURDAY, APRIL 10

POWER & POSSIBILITY IN THE PUBLIC SPACE: MARIA DE LOS ANGELES & NATHANIEL DONNETT IN CONVERSATION WITH LINDSEY MANCINI

In this casual conversational encounter, artists Maria de Los Angeles (MFA ‘15) and Nathaniel Donnett (MFA '21) will share the public nature of their artistic practices, unpacking the liminal spaces that allow for an expansion of the possibilities for art within the public space. Organized and hosted by SoA staff member and arts accessibility activist, Lindsey Mancini, “Power and Promise” reconsiders the role and responsibilities of the artist in relation to their direct engagement within a larger local community.

Saturday, April 10, 2021

1PM

Join on Zoom here >>

CHROMAVORES: COLOR THEORY IN PAINTING 2021 WITH MICH MILLER, ALEX PUZ, & BRIANNA BASS

MODERATED BY EDD RAVN

This panel conversation considers how this group of painters—whose work emphasizes color—are thinking about color theory and related issues in 2021 at Yale; how color relates to language and nameability; the cultural and social associations of color; and color from a philosophical and mathematical perspective. Moderator Edd Ravn (MFA '20) will offer a historical perspective on the work by the panelists, including other color artists who have influenced their work and thought.

Saturday, April 10, 2021

2PM

Join on Zoom here >>

RUNNING TIME

A screening of video works by Sculpture MFA students Cameron Clayborn, Armando Cortés, Cristóbal Gracia, Pap Souleye Fall, Hyeree Ro, Freddy Villalobos, Lucas Yasunaga, and Stella Zhong.

Saturday, April 10, 2021

4PM

Join on Zoom here >>

SUNDAY, APRIL 11

UNDERGRADS ASK

In this open panel conversation organized by Opal Ecker DeRuvo, Painting/Printmaking MFA '22, undergraduate art majors enrolled in School of Art courses through Yale College will interview current MFA students about navigating collegiate systems, pursuing graduate school, and the nature of artistic practice.

Sunday, April 11, 2021

4PM

Join on Zoom here >>

Events will continue to be added to this page as they’re announced. Please check back here for more, or subscribe to the Yale School of Art’s public events calendar to access the developing schedule of events as they’re confirmed.