As a senior graphic design student, before you graduate, you are tasked with putting on an exhibition. The parameters are minimal, so in other words, we can come up with anything for this show. Some choose to showcase a collection of previous work, but I wanted to challenge myself to come up with a collection dedicated to this specific exhibition. I knew I wanted to create an eye-catching and meaningful work of art and give my audience a surround experience. I came up with the concept of drawing all of the connections and friends I made throughout my four years of attending Union College as a thank you to them. A small connection or conversation can go a long way, and that is what I wanted to say in this show. I was able to draw over 300 portraits and fill up the entire art gallery so that you were surrounded by them. As an added bonus, I chose to stage them as a crime board using red string to connect when and how I met most of them.
Artist Statement
Connections and interactions with others are two of our basic human needs. We like to feel connected and a part of something. Coming to Union was way out of my comfort zone. I knew no one here. All my current friends were going to other universities, but I fell in love with Union because of the warm, caring hospitality I got when I came to visit. Everyone made me feel welcomed, and it was easy for this shy, timid guy to branch out and meet tons of cool people here.
Here is a small representation of all the different connections I made throughout my four years here – anywhere from small conversations that made me feel appreciated to long-lasting friendships that I can’t see life without.
This is a thank you for making my college experience something I will never forget. Even if we don’t see each other all the time or still feel connected, I hope that you do realize you still made an impact on my life, and I will be forever grateful for the small moments we did share together.
What I hope that you can take way from this is that no matter what the interaction is, you are impacting one another. So, I hope that we can continue that warm hospitality that I got when I was a freshman so that we can all make each other feel valued and seen. Be a friend to someone who needs it. Trust me, I did.
