Jovi Schnell: Sown Electrum, 2017; acrylic and Flashe on canvas

The UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) will showcase the work of six graduating students from UC Berkeley’s Department of Art Practice with its 47th Annual Master of Fine Arts Graduate Exhibition. The exhibition marks the first time for all but one of these students to have their work presented in a museum setting, offering BAMPFA visitors an early opportunity to discover new work by six promising artists. On view from May 17 through June 11, the exhibition coincides with a satellite show by the artists at the Right Window Gallery in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Shari Paladino: Cuckoo, 2017; walnut

For the past two years, the six artists—Takming Chuang, Lucas DeGiulio, Behnaz Khaleghi, Shari Paladino, Jovi Schnell, and Andrew Wilson—have refined their creative practices as students at one of America’s most highly rated universities. Working with BAMPFA Assistant Curator Stephanie Cannizzo and Curatorial Assistant Matthew Coleman, the graduates are contributing works that reflect their own unique voices, united by their shared interest in spectatorship and the social construction of identity.

Andrew Wilson: Crown, from #FRUIT Fashion Show, 2017

As participants in BAMPFA’s annual MFA graduate exhibition, the students join a distinguished roster of previous UC Berkeley MFA graduates such as Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, Enrique Chagoya, and Shirin Neshat, artists who went on to international recognition after first presenting their work at BAMPFA.

“We are excited to present new works by these remarkable artists, who have shown such incredible creativity and accomplishment during their time at Cal,” said BAMPFA Director and Chief Curator Curator Lawrence Rinder. “Our annual commitment to showcasing the work of UC Berkeley’s exceptionally talented MFA graduates reflects the continuing vitality of BAMPFA’s relationship to its vibrant university community.”

The opening of the MFA Graduate exhibition will be marked by an artists’ talk with the six participating students on Wednesday, May 17 at 6 pm. The talk is free with museum admission and will be followed immediately by a reception for BAMPFA members from 7 to 9 pm.


Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) 2120 Oxford Street #2250 · Berkeley, CA 94720 · 510.643.3994 · bampfa.org