Escapism: Senior Art Exhibition 2021 Artist Talks

The 2021 graduating class of Art Department Seniors presents the culmination of their undergraduate artistic production with the exhibition Escapism. With the artists facing the end of their program while enduring a new reality under COVID, Escapism uses paintings, drawings, and sculptures to reflect life, but also offer a reprieve from it. Join us for virtual artist talks on April 23 at 2 p.m. with Jiarong Bi, Lauren Graf, Nicholas Hayes, Nicole Ishii, and Jasmine Alexandra O., including a live Q&A.

The Escapism virtual gallery and the students' works can be viewed at https://rollandgallery.wixsite.com/escapism.

Escapism is defined as, “the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.” This exhibit embodies the realities that these artists explored during the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the daily and constant reminder of their new life under Covid, our students sought outlets to escape their isolation. Through their paintings, drawings, and sculptures, these seniors have used art to combat circumstances beyond their control, setting their minds free through their creativity and imagination.

Jiarong Bi focuses on painting and sketching and is from Oak Park, California. She takes inspiration from music, film, and Expressionism. Lauren Graf is a mixed media artist from Carpinteria who draws her inspiration from vintage aesthetics and Art Nouveau illustrations. Though her art, she seeks out a more beautiful reality with a fantastical twist. Combining elements of beauty and horror, Nicholas Hayes from Los Angeles gathers inspiration from sci fi and fantasy to create sculptural pieces that seek to exploit the aesthetic pleasure of the uncanny. Born and raised in Hawaii, mixed media artist Nicole Ishii looks at her native Hawaiian culture in a new light through her artwork. Jasmine Alexandra O is a Thousand Oaks-based multimedia artist, honing her skills in the field of art and creating artwork that explores Imaginative Realism.

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