GW-Corcoran ‘NEXT’ Exhibition Showcases New Generation of Contemporary Artists

The George Washington University Corcoran School of the Arts and Design’s inaugural class today kicked off NEXT, the school’s annual thesis exhibition presentation featuring artistic interpretations of experiences beyond the classroom. The exhibition introduces the art community to fresh perspectives in contemporary art from the Corcoran’s graduating seniors. NEXT opens with an opening reception on April 8 at 6 p.m. 

 

NEXT opens with an opening reception on April 8. The exhibition will feature undergraduate work and will be on display April 9 through May 18. A second exhibition featuring graduate work opens on April 29 and closes on May 18. 

 

The annual showcase displays the verve that young artists have, and provides a unique opportunity for employers, art enthusiasts and gallerists to observe the work of up-and-coming contemporary artists. The class of 2015 exhibition will use all 11 of the first-floor traditional galleries as well as the museum’s stairway, rotunda, atrium and gallery 31.

 

Forty graduating undergraduate students in art studies, digital media design, fine art, fine art photography, graphic design, interior architecture and design and photojournalism will be featured in the exhibition. Sixty-three graduate students who will earn their master’s degrees in art education, art and the book, exhibition design, interior architecture and design, new media photojournalism and teaching master’s programs will be featured. 

 

NEXT celebrates the brilliance and promise of its graduating students. Each degree program at the Corcoran requires students to successfully complete a thesis project. Projects may take many forms—from written research papers to a series of paintings. Students exhibit their theses on the walls of the Corcoran 17th Street building and present pictorial and oral presentations of their projects to an audience of their peers, faculty, arts professionals and the GW community.

 

One of the components of the exhibition is that students conceive of publicity materials through an interactive class project. “Design Lab” is a yearlong course where students are responsible for the overall branding of the NEXT exhibition. This year’s brand identity stems from the exhibition theme, “Expressive Discovery.” The theme is a visual representation of the Corcoran’s rich, creative heritage and exciting future. The interlocking letters of the logo interpret the integration of the two schools and emphasize the artistic diversity of the Corcoran’s programs and students. 

 

Admission for NEXT is free and open to the public. The exhibition is open Wednesday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday. The Corcoran is located at 500 17 St., NW. Visitors should enter via the main entrance, located on 17 Street between New York Avenue and E Street NW. For more information, including a press kit, student portfolios and exhibition events, visit http://next.corcoran.gwu.edu. 

 

The Corcoran bridges the university’s academically robust programs in the arts with Corcoran’s creative and inspired scholarship. As part of the GW Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the school functions as an incubator for artists and practitioners in arts-related fields, and serves to enrich students who are taking classes in other areas of the university. As such, it provides a platform for engagement that bridges creative expression and practical application with the breadth and depth of the larger liberal arts education.