Yale School of Art Graphic Design Students Show Is Literally ‘Off the Wall’

The M.F.A. candidates in the Graphic Design Department of the Yale School of Art will present their thesis work in a genre-defying exhibition titled “Off the Wall,” to be held May 15–22 at Green Hall Gallery, 1156 Chapel Street. The gallery is open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Faced with the challenge of presenting their multimedia work in a way that celebrates both the individuality of each designer and the spirit of the class as a whole, the 15 M.F.A. candidates decided to take their work off the walls — literally — and place everything on the floor. This gesture, say exhibition organizers, “reduces the exhibition to its most essential form.”

In another unorthodox approach, rather than being grouped by maker or medium, the works in “Off the Wall” will be arranged loosely, encouraging visitors to make their own links and connections between objects. By placing their work where visitors stand and walk, the designers hope viewers will be more likely to pick up, read, examine and directly experience their creations.

During Yale’s intense, two-year program, students build a comprehensive body of work, culminating in a thesis. Each thesis includes applying a visual method to studio work, and writing and designing a catalogue raisonné. “Off the Wall” will feature all 15 thesis books alongside the designers’ print, video and interactive works.

The M.F.A. candidates whose work will be featured in “Off the Wall” are Nazima Ahmad, Ke Cao, Laura Grey, Geoffrey Halber, Lauren Harden, Luke Harris, Ely Kim, Daniel Koppich, Caspar Lam, Melissa Levin, Kate O’Connor, YuJune Park, Jay Peter Salvas, Steven Sarkozy and Vance Wellenstein.

The critics for this year’s students included Michael Bierut, Irma Boom, Julia Born, Matthew Carter, Glen Cummings, Linda van Deursen, Paul Elliman, Barbara Glauber, Tobias Frere-Jones, Karel Martens, Dan Michaelson, Jonathan Puckey, Christopher Pullman, Michael Rock, Doug Scott, Susan Sellers, Scott Stowell, Daniel van der Velden, Roel Wouters and Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, the Street Professor of Graphic Design and director of the department.

The Yale School of Art, created in 1869, was the first art school in the United States connected with an institution of higher learning. Past critics within the Graphic Design Department have included Alexey Brodovitch, Alvin Eisenman, Armin Hofmann, Herbert Matter, Paul Rand and Bradbury Thompson.

For more information, email info@yaleoffthewall.com.