Students graduating with their bachelor’s of fine arts degrees have the opportunity to display their artwork virtually after the original spring exhibition was canceled in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The seniors who choose to participate will be featured on SEMO Q Gallery created by associate professor of commercial multimedia, Bradley Phillips.

“[The gallery] was birthed from the problem that existing BFA students are unable to have their BFA thesis exhibition, which is typically a requirement of the degree,” Phillips said. “Obviously, we can't require them to exhibit right now, given the current pandemic.”

Department of Art and Design graduating seniors are required to display their work in the Graduating Senior Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibitions in the River Campus Art Gallery. The exhibition was scheduled for April 20 through May 15.

The website, SEMO Q Gallery, links and displays artwork straight from the artist’s Instagram account.

“The gallery allows students to control what goes on the website. For example, senior Nkosi Wan has the very first exhibit, which opened [May 1] and will run for essentially two weeks,” Phillips said. “So whatever he decides to post on Instagram will show until we change the code to pull a different Instagram user.”

Wan said this exhibition is a creative way for students to display their work from their college careers.

“Art is both a singular and collective experience, so to be able to share these works with others in this time of social distancing is refreshing,” Wan said. “I am grateful to the Art Department for working so hard to create a platform for students and I look forward to all of the upcoming BFA shows.”

The gallery is currently planned to run through Aug. 20, but Phillips said he would be interested in finding a more permanent purpose for it while allowing users to look back at previous galleries.

“Whether it be continuing just showing BFA students or even somehow to have a catalog of graduating students as an exhibition catalog,” Phillips said.

Phillips said the faculty has been very supportive of this project, and he hopes it can be developed into something more.

“I think everybody has appreciated what it's doing for the students, and [faculty and staff] all really hope that the students will take advantage of it now and into the future,” Phillips said.

Any graduating BFA Art and Design students who are interested in being featured should contact bphillips@semo.edu.