I Think We're Alone Now: Art Theory and Practice MFA Thesis Exhibition: Block Museum - Northwestern University
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I Think We're Alone Now: Art Theory and Practice MFA Thesis Exhibition

May 10-June 24, 2018
Alsdorf Gallery
Christopher Smith, I Think We're Alone Now, 2017

James Britt, Joe Cassan, Kandis Friesen and Christopher Smith—2018 Master of Fine Arts degree candidates in the Department of Art Theory and Practice at Northwestern University—present their thesis projects, concluding two years of intensive artistic development. This year's thesis exhibition is accompanied by events, programming and a publication conceived by the MFA candidates.

Free and open to the public.

This exhibition and the associated events are co-organized by the Department of Art Theory and Practice and the Block Museum at Northwestern University. Support provided by the Norton S. Walbridge Fund; the Myers Foundations; the Jerrold Loebl Fund for the Arts; and the Alsdorf Endowment.

James Britt

James Britt's satirical and allegorical work presses the public persona of his viewers to release its hold. The consequence is a theatrical space set for the exchange of bodily tensions. As acts of involuntary frankness between self and others (and backwards) assemble, possibilities for direct contact manifest.

Joe Cassan

Joe Cassan makes small-scale, hand crafted sculptures presenting scenes that mix domestic desolation with cinematic grandeur. His work draws on themes from the horror genre, American minimalism, folk art. Recently, Cassan has exhibited at Iceberg Projects, Monique Meloche Gallery and Western Exhibitions.

Kandis Friesen

Making use of diasporic language and disintegrating archival forms, Kandis Friesen constructs inhabitations of exile and displacement intrinsic to Russian Mennonite, Ukrainian, and former Soviet geographies. Her work has been presented at LUX, Images Festival, FIFA, Athens Digital Arts Festival and MIX NYC.

Christopher Smith

Christopher Smith works to reconfigure the conventional modes of reuse. The economic value of trash is forfeited so that we serve as it’s accomplice in demanding common spaces for uselessness, total care, and real rest. From 2008–15 Christopher organized exhibitions in a vacant lot, a fire pit, and a medicine cabinet. His work has been presented at The Franklin, Antena, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.