The New Mexico State University Department of Art and the University Art Museum will present two culminating student exhibitions this spring, showcasing the creative achievements of both Master of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts students.
Opening on April 25, the concurrent shows, "Stone, Glass, Light, Silk: 2025 Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition" and "ROOTED: 2025 Bachelor of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition," will feature work from emerging NMSU student artists across diverse disciplines and backgrounds.
"Stone, Glass, Light, Silk" will be on view at NMSU's University Art Museum from April 25 through May 10. It will feature thesis work by Master of Fine Arts candidates Alfred Gyasi, Elham Sabri, Johanna Typaldos, and William Morée. Together their works explore themes of psychology, identity, perception, resistance and cultural heritage through media including ceramics, photography, textiles and metalwork.
Gyasi, originally from Accra, Ghana, uses traditional techniques such as braiding and coiling and incorporates Kente cloth patterns into contemporary ceramic forms, investigating the intersection of his Ghanaian heritage with American experiences. Sabri, an Iranian-born artist with a background in graphic design, addresses the hijab laws of post-theocracy Iran through work that symbolizes resistance to oppression. Typaldos, working in metals and jewelry, engages with memory and relationships using meticulous craftsmanship and repeated forms. Morée, a photographer from New York City now based in New Mexico, focuses on human visual perception, examining how viewers see rather than what they see.
An opening reception for "Stone, Glass, Light, Silk" and "ROOTED" will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 25 at the University Art Museum.
Running parallel to the Master of Fine Arts show, 'ROOTED' will be on display through May 9 throughout Devasthali Hall and in the Mullennix Bridge Gallery. The Bachelor of Fine Arts exhibition features thesis work from 10 graduating students: Kayla Blundell, Matthew Cota, Citlali Delgado, Jennell Juarez, Sabrina Martinez, Lei Maslian, Jessica Mercado, Savannah Perez, Jade Rubio and Yalet Yanar.
The work on display will reflect a range of personal, cultural and scientific explorations. Blundell's sculptural forms merge industrial materials with desert flora. Cota's biology-inspired works highlight misunderstood organisms like insects and protozoa. Delgado's interdisciplinary practice examines life in the Chihuahuan Desert and along the U.S.-Mexico border. Juarez draws on domestic craft to explore themes of home and memory. Martinez blends traditional tattooing with multimedia to express identity and healing.
Maslian critiques Western consumerism from the perspective of a Filipino immigrant, while Mercado uses photography and illustration to address stereotypes and community narratives. Perez visualizes subconscious dreamscapes through painting. Rubio explores the emotional terrain of girlhood and the transition to adulthood, and Yanar challenges patriarchal religious narratives from a feminist lens.
A public walk-through of 'ROOTED' will take place at 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 25, starting at the Bleacher area in Devasthali Hall and livestreamed on Instagram from the Art department's Instagram page. The opening reception follows at 5:30 p.m.
Additional programming includes a metal casting workshop on May 3. The exhibitions coincides with NMSU's annual Research and Creativity Week.
The University Art Museum is located at 1308 E. University Avenue in Las Cruces and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information or to watch the opening reception via livestream, check out the Department of Art's Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/nmsuart/.
The full article can be seen at https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-art-museum-hosts-2025-bfa-and-mfa-thesis-exhibitions/s/a9a4da0a-3196-4a3b-83e0-00da182e7923
