SXU Gallery Presents "Senior.exe. has stopped working"
Saint Xavier University (SXU) will host the year-long thesis work of art and design seniors now through May 7 in the SXU Gallery. The exhibit, "Senior.exe. has stopped working," features the work of students Cinthya Luna, Luis Garibay, Angie Clayton, Isabela Cabral Lujan, Fabrizio Coss, Anahi Moreno, Valentine Tokarczyk Jr., Gabriel Ojeda, Jacquelyn Santana, Julia Walko, Troy Dorian, Luis Solorzano, Angel Chavez, Talia McMullen, and Melanie Marquez.
Student Gabriel Ojeda created a comic that follows a young astronaut who has just graduated and is thrown into an unknown world.
"The theme of the comic book is facing the unknown and how we can't quite prepare ourselves for it. Studying art gives me an opportunity to give life to the ideas I have and show parts of myself I didn't know I could show – to create something with raw emotion that can inspire someone. I hope visitors will find the story interesting. I'm thankful for my SXU art classes, which helped me to work with different mediums and provided connection and networking opportunities," said Ojeda.
Isabel Cabral Lujan's project, "Starshine," focuses on a fictional band she designed and features posters, her own original characters, a zine, stickers and more. Starshine, a women-only punk band, embraces femininity, and Cabral Lujan used lots of pink, inspired by her younger self and other girls who have struggled with internalized misogyny and had difficulty accepting the color.
"Starshine is inspired by the Gorillaz and their amazing characters. I hope people are in awe of the posters and elements I created – I want my viewers to feel as if the band is real. I have always loved art and have been sketching since I was a young girl. Making art will always be important. My SXU classes have challenged me. My professors, Nathan Peck and Nat Soti, have helped me to create every day and find my graphic design interests. The classes are fun and the projects are great," said Cabral Lujan.
Luis Solorzano's project, "Noggins," follows his self-reflection and mental therapy journey through a journal that provides context to his drawings. His hope is to project the message that therapy is beneficial and can help people get to know themselves with questions and answers they wouldn't expect.
"I pursued graphic design because I wanted to do something I loved --art-- and also gain skills I can use in the professional field. Artistic expression is very versatile. During my classes, I learned everyone has a unique set of skills, and I loved seeing everyone express themselves in their own ways. Each class I've taken handles a different form of media, focusing on subjects like photography, composition, illustration, and computer graphics. They have all given me experience in designing professionally," said Solorzano.
The SXU Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, contact the Gallery at 773-298-3081.