MU Undergraduate Studies will be accepting applications for the sixth annual Visual Arts and Design Showcase (VADS) until Feb. 10. Any MU undergraduate can apply for a chance to win a total of $8,000 in professional development funds, valuable mentorship and feedback from an acclaimed panel of jurists.
The virtual showcase will premiere on March 17, and the winning artists’ work will have a physical display in April. All selected films will be shown at Ragtag Cinema in downtown Columbia. Awards include Artistic Expression, Applied Design and People’s Choice in a range of categories from architectural studies to floral design to sculpture.
The goal of the event is to sharpen student artists’ professional skills, said Sarah Humfeld, assistant director of MU Undergraduate Research.
“Professionally, being able to communicate yourself electronically, including photos of your work and your portfolio — those are quite important skills,” Humfeld said. “It feels like this is the odd year out, and we have this online showcase, but we really want to communicate with students that we think it’s even more important than in the past.”
The showcase provides important discussion and constructive criticism for students to improve their artistic and design skills, said Undergraduate Research Director Linda Blockus.
“Not only do [students] get a chance to display their projects, but they also get feedback from people who are professionals in their field to help with their future career development,” Blockus said. “Students who are going to aspire to a career in visual arts and design are learning a lot of different professional skills.”
The jury panel includes three professionals from different fields of art and design. The judges will provide private feedback for the student artists in a Zoom meeting in early March.
Yatika Starr Fields is a painter and muralist whose compositions are “colorful and dynamic, leaving the viewer to move their eyes and find elements relating to their own journey,” according to the VADS website. His work, entitled ‘Indigenous Mural,’ can be seen at the Student Center.
Damon Davis is a multimedia artist, musician and filmmaker based in St. Louis whose work centers on celebrating Black experiences and giving a voice to the powerless. He co-directed the film “Whose Streets?” about the protests in Ferguson after the police killing of Michael Brown.
Katherine Pill is the curator of contemporary arts at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida. According to the VADS website, “she has worked diligently to bring new ideas, artists and programming to diverse audiences.” Her upcoming exhibition “Art of the Stage: Picasso to Hockney” looks at the importance of stage design in ballets and operas.
“Our student artists and creators get to engage one-on-one with professionals in the field,” Humfeld said. “It’s one thing to get feedback from your professor or your teacher, but to have somebody who is actually in the field professionally doing these things — to get that feedback is so important.”
Students will need an MU faculty member who is knowledgeable of their project and art medium to act as their mentor in order to apply. The goal of the showcase is to guide students and provide valuable information along the way, Blockus said.
“At the end of the day, this is all about student learning,” Blockus said.
MU Undergraduate Research will host workshops in early February to guide students on how to write an artist’s statement and how to photograph their artwork. Visit MU Engage href=“url”text for more information and future workshops.
The showcase is open to any MU undergraduate, regardless of major or year. The deadline to apply is Feb. 10.
“Even though it’s a selection process, [students] should not feel intimidated to apply,” Blockus said. “You don’t have to paint the ‘Mona Lisa’ to participate.”
_Edited by Sophie Chappell | schappell@themaneater.com _