Southern Utah University’s graduating Bachelor of Fine Arts students will showcase their artistic work at Southern Utah Museum of Art during the opening reception of fall’s Filmmaking, Art and Design Senior BFA Exhibition on Friday, Nov. 13 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The exhibition, titled Volonté, features work from six graduating students in illustration and graphic design.
Kol Gibson, public relations and information coordinator for SUU’s College of Performing and Visual Arts, said the title was chosen by the 2026 senior cohort. Volonté is a French word meaning “the will and determination to achieve something, even when it is difficult or challenging.”
Gibson said that the title reflects the creative process and persistence required to complete a BFA degree. Rather than following one shared artistic theme, students selected projects that showcase their individual skills, interests and development as artists at SUU.
The exhibition also provides students with professional experience. According to Gibson, SUMA offers students the opportunity to exhibit their work twice a year.
“The exhibiting students learn how to work with a real museum and how to prepare their art to be exhibited, which is amazing real-world experience,” Gibson said.
Their senior capstone projects represent the culmination of their work at SUU and give them the chance to define their identities as artists.
Gibson hopes visitors will recognize the value of student artwork.
“Hopefully, visitors will realize how amazing it is that SUU prizes student work enough to be exhibited alongside major exhibitions at SUMA,” Gibson said. “We also hope that visitors will see the value in human-made art and the skill that sets it apart.”
Visitors can enjoy refreshments and connect with student artists, faculty and other community members. For more information about SUMA and to keep up with future exhibitions, visit its website.
Author: Fangqi Zhou
Photo courtesy of SUMA
Editor: Charlee Steed
arts@suunews.net
