2022 Capstone Exhibition

The 2022 Capstone Exhibition
Grossman Gallery
The Williams Visual Arts Building
Opening: Nov 18, 4:30-6 pm
Exhibition Date: Nov 18 – Dec 9
Gallery Hours: Tue to Sat, 12-5 pm

The exhibition is the culmination of the Capstone class taught by Professor Sun You. The class is designed for art majors with a concentration in studio art. Students are expected to complete a semester-long art project, write a Capstone thesis paper as well as participate in critiques, discussions, presentations, visiting artist lectures and field trips.

Andrea Collazo-Salazar was born in 2001 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and lived there until she was 12 years old; she has since lived in Springfield, VA. During her childhood, she attended art classes at La Casa Municipal de Montero and continued her art practice after moving to the United States. Andrea is finalizing her Bachelor’s Degree as an Anthropology & Sociology and Studio Art double major. For her Capstone project, she has created an installation exploring themes of consumerism and femininity that consists of photographs and a site-specific participatory work. The works are a continuation of the artist’s interest in deconstructing media consumption, with a focus on the dominance of the male gaze and the illusion of a female gaze.

Renee Mercereau was born in 2001 in Staten Island, NY, and raised in Little Silver, NJ. She majored in studio art at Red Bank Regional High School before coming to Lafayette. A Studio Art and English literature double major, Renee created two oil paintings for her Capstone project. These paintings combine images from places Renee has visited throughout her life, and objects that resonate with her. They take interest in empathy and sentiment, as Renee is interested in how objects and places can hold impressions of the people who have touched or inhabited them.

April Miller was born in 2001 and is from Los Angeles. She focuses on digital art, painting, and colored pencil drawing. Her Capstone exhibition includes works from her series “Why Am I So Lonely?” and incorporates paintings with vinyl text on a monochrome wall. The works focus on the relationship between connection and disconnection in large cities where one is paradoxically both surrounded by others, yet isolated.

Isabel Sorrells was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 2001 and is currently pursuing a major in Studio Art with a minor in History. For her Capstone exhibition, she has installed four oil paintings. Her work engages with the body, violence, pop art, and anger and resonates with experiences that have shaped her identity. This is Isabel’s first formal exhibition of her work.

Jennifer Zhu was born and raised in 2001 in Fuzhou, China. She came to the states for
undergraduate study in 2019. She is pursuing a dual degree in B.A. Studio Art and B.S.
Mathematics. Jennifer created a group of oil paintings for her Capstone project, which is her first formal exhibition. Her works are inspired by multiple references including patterns of water flow and the idea of Yin and Yang in Taoism. Jennifer is interested in symbolizing the chaos of conflict and integration in these abstract paintings.