School of Visual Arts (SVA) presents “Partitions,” a juried exhibition of multidisciplinary works by one SVA student and six recent graduates. Organized by SVA Galleries, the exhibition will be on view online from Tuesday, July 27, through Monday, August 9, at galleries.sva.edu.

Acknowledging the drastic restructuring of lives and spaces over the past 18 months, the artworks in “Partitions” contemplate boundaries and thresholds. Dividers—including those necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic—guide actions by regulating the uses of a given area, whether explicitly or implicitly. From distancing to plexiglass barriers, these separations manage individuals and factors (such as risk) while shaping their constituents (both human and object). Moreover, the decisions directing the application of these devices often implicate considerations such as privacy, protection, stress levels and sense of community. Artists in this exhibition consider the human consequences of such barriers. Through paintings, drawings, photographs, video and design, these works respond to omnipresent partitions while illustrating the importance of connection, shared experiences and what happens when vital social and cultural bonds are interrupted or cease to exist.

Artists featured in this exhibition are Zixin Chen (BFA 2021 Illustration), Doi Kim (MFA 2021 Fine Arts), Sofiya Kuzmina (BFA 2021 Illustration), James Meyer (BFA 2021 Fine Arts), Anthony Reamer (MFA 2021 Fine Arts), Yansong Yang (student, BFA Design) and Stephanie (Zhuping) Zhong (BFA 2021 Illustration).

Image credit: Stephanie (Zhuping) Zhong, Entrances, 2021, digital, 8 x 11 inches.