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Written by Alexis Schramel | Pictures by Eric Butler

Congratulations to current MFA students '22, '23, '22, and '22 who recently showcased their work at 51���Ϲ���'s student-run Gallery 148! May Ling curated the group exhibition, Human, which represents the relationship between painting/drawing and meaning using the human body. Read more about the show and artists in my interview with May Ling.

Can you introduce yourself and your art practice?

My work is influenced by my experiences with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS). I was diagnosed with MS in 2010, at the age of 15. Due to the “invisible” nature of MS, I was often met with skepticism when I talked about my illness. Many people told me I “looked fine” or that I was too young to be sick. These reactions inspired me to create artwork about MS.

I pay close attention to how I feel each day. Are my muscles weak? Can I see clearly? Are my hands trembling? Am I afraid of dropping things? My work visualizes these experiences. I document my observations in a journalistic manner, with each drawing reflecting a different physical state. Through this work, I aim to spread awareness about how MS and other invisible illnesses can affect daily life.

What is your collaborative exhibition, Human, about?

Human features a selection of work from four current MFA students (Anna Lyle, Jordyn Brennan, Lukas Carlson, and May Ling Kopecky) who create paintings and drawings featuring various parts of the body. While the work shares this visual theme, it is conceptually varied. Each artist uses the body to convey a different meaning, such as mental health, the act of caring, disability, and identity. The body is deconstructed and not shown in full; parts are consciously highlighted or omitted to reflect the artists’ experiences. Where in the body do we hold our emotions? How do we represent a sense? A memory? What parts of the body do we pay attention to as we navigate the world? What happens when the body doesn’t “work”?

Where did your inspiration to curate this show come from?

As someone who has a chronic illness, I pay a lot of attention to how my body feels on a regular basis. These observations appear in my work, which includes various parts of my body that feel "off" each day. I often consider how other artists use the figure in their work, including my MFA peers. Since I knew Jordyn, Lukas, and Anna also paint or draw the figure, I thought an exhibition with all four of us would be a great opportunity to show examples of how visuals of the body can be used to express different concepts.

Do you have any advice for future curators? 

Many times, the best way to learn how to do something is by doing it! This was my first experience with curating, and I learned a lot just by going through the process. It's important to have solid deadlines, a list of required materials, and clear communication with everybody involved.