Senior Mipa Lee's exhibit, featuring a collection of graphically illustrated panels, draws from her dual Korean and Western cultural heritage.

Senior art students showcase their talent

“If culture and language are a state of mind,” says Mipa Lee ’05, a studio art student, “then my mind is a hybrid.” Referring to her Korean and Western cultural heritages, Lee recently built that duality into an exhibit (see photo) for one of the Senior Shows, a three-show series of art exhibits held from April into May in the M. Louise Aughinbaugh Art Gallery.

Each show runs for about a week and displays the work of seven students in the studio art program. Students specifically prepare for these shows by compiling a body of related works within their area of study. The exhibits present the various media taught by the School of the Visual Arts—from photography, graphic design, or drawing to textile art, sculpture, or painting.

For Lee, the exhibit is about more than showcasing her talents; it’s about making a statement. “My show is essentially about how we are all aliens to some degree, searching to connect with someone else, to reach some level of intimate understanding.”

— Jonathan Vaitl ’06