Press Release for Thesis Exhibition
Awake
Saturday, May 27 – Saturday, June 10, 2017
Reception: Thursday, June 1, 6 - 8pm
SVA Chelsea Gallery
Awake by Weidi Zhang will be part of the 2017 MFA Computer Art Thesis
Exhibition, which brings together selected thesis projects from SVA MFA
Computer Art graduating students. The exhibition will be on view from May 27
through June 10 at the SVA Chelsea Gallery, 601 West 26 th Street, 15 th floor, in
New York City.
Awake (2017) is a hybrid 2D / 3D animated film that examines the conflict
between technology and nature. Using a visual style that further enhances this
conflict, the film presents a post-apocalyptic world constructed through a frame-
by-frame 2D style in tandem with 3D realism. A beautiful, yet chilling portrayal,
Awake reveals how man’s abuse of technology can harm the environment,
leaving both wounded in a perverse effort to survive.
Weidi Zhang is a motion graphics designer who was born in China and received
his BE from North China Electrical University in Beijing (2010) and his MFA in
Computer Art with a focus on motion graphics and 2D animation from the School
of Visual Arts in New York City (2017). Weidi has worked as a freelance
photographer and video editor in Beijing, where he specialized in photography
retouching, videography and editing. He believes that the best artists are not
created in schools, but are those who channel their life experiences into their art.
He is an inveterate learner and will never stop exploring new ways to make
animation and motion graphics.
SVA MFA Computer Art emphasizes creative experimentation and a
multidisciplinary approach to making art with computers and emerging
technologies. Dedicated to producing digital artists of the highest caliber, the
department guides each student in the development of a personal artistic style in
a course of study that is individually tailored to meet his or her needs. Students
come from around the world to study in this MFA program, which has
distinguished itself with eight Student Academy Awards. Mfaca.sva.edu
School of Visual Arts has been a leader in the education of artists, designers,
and creative professionals for more than six decades. With a faculty of
distinguished working professionals, dynamic curriculum, and an emphasis on
critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility.
Comprised of more than 6,000 students at its Manhattan campus and 35,000
alumni in 100 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic
communities in the world. For information about the College’s 31 undergraduate
and graduate degree programs, visit sva.edu.
The SVA Chelsea Gallery, located at 601 West 26th Street, 15th floor, is open
Monday through Saturday, 10:00am – 6:00pm. Admission is free. The gallery is
fully accessible by wheelchair. For more information, call 212.592.2145.