Thesis Review

Potential viewers must be aware that a visit to the Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition is an underwhelming and frustrating experience. In fact, the gallery leaves one feeling angry and taken advantage of, as most of the supposed art witnessed was obscure, esoteric, and exasperating in its blatant eschewing of any consideration for the individuals taking the art pieces in. It is frustrating that the creators of the works in the gallery are leaving Washington State University with advanced graduate degrees—representing the pinnacle of their art careers so far—as most of the artists’ creations are a testament to art that requires more polishing before being placed in a gallery setting.
When entering the exhibition, one is immediately confronted by the artwork of Heather Losey McGeachy. One of the most worthy artists in the exhibition, McGeachy manages to uniquely combine her strong passion for digital media with physical means. Her vividly colored digital transparent prints (see Tyrin and Dunkoh) are constructed so that one can ‘peel apart’ the layers of her art. McGeachey explicates how her “layered imagery mimics the layers of data that form our experiences,” enabling the viewer to connect to the virtual and physical layers of his or her own life. This relationship is a stretch, but the meaning behind McGeachy’s work is clearly explained in her statements and provides viewers with an unusual but understandable perspective into the world we live in.
Unfortunately, the quality of the exhibit diminishes exponentially as one drifts further from McGeachey’s works and arrives at the sections devoted to Lauren McCleary and Dustin Price. McCleary greets viewers with a large installation piece that is an amalgamation of three separate works, Elephant Splat, Between Being, and Walk Wonder. The combined work exists in a large scale, surrounding the viewer in nearly every direction and providing one with the experience of being in the work rather than looking at it. However, viewers are largely left to fend for themselves, as McCleary gives no direction or background from which viewers can base their interpretations. The same can be said for the work of Dustin Price. A seemingly random collection of images, objects and words hangs on the walls of his exhibit. Anything seems to go for Price, from his pillow-surrounded tree in Untitled (the lack of a title leaves viewers with nothing grab on to here) to the oddly placed sweaters and spiral-rolled newspaper bits from We Are Just Fine. His works inspire no feelings beyond confusion and bewilderment, and viewers just may leave his exhibit feeling more aggravated and befuddled than when they entered.
Aggravation may be a sufficient word to describe the taste left in one’s mouth after viewing this exhibit. Looking at these theses through a Tolstoy-style theory, it is clear that, as a whole, the pieces exhibited do not clearly transmit whatever feelings the artists may be trying to convey. In fact, they leave the viewer more confused than ever. This may be intentional, as Dustin Price describes how “I understand that my process repeatedly gives way to questions that cannot be answered, but I believe attempting to understand these questions is often just as significant as answering them.” This may carry some weight, though Price and his fellow thesis presenters are perhaps giving their audience too much to try to understand, and instead of uncovering some deep meaning or symbolism within the exhibition, viewers are left in a dust of confusion and frustration. Thought and effort has clearly been put into this exhibit, but the artists must give more consideration to those viewing their works before their products can be called art.