2026 Annual Student Exhibtion
Meet the Jurors
The Annual Student Exhibition is shaped by the insight and expertise of invited jurors who bring diverse professional perspectives to the selection process. Through thoughtful review and dialogue, the jurors evaluate submissions across disciplines, recognizing work that demonstrates conceptual strength, technical skill, innovation, and a compelling artistic voice. Their participation not only ensures a dynamic and rigorous exhibition, but also connects student artists at the University of Minnesota Duluth with broader creative communities beyond campus, fostering meaningful exchange and professional growth.
Jen White-Johnson
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the faculty at UMD for the invitation to jury this year's student art exhibition. It was both a privilege and a formidable challenge to survey 290 submissions—a collection that showcased a phenomenal range of styles, technical mastery, and creative perspectives.Distilling such a vast body of work into a final selection of 35 pieces required looking beyond aesthetic appeal to find the pulse of the current student body. In the selection process, I was consistently drawn to works that did not shy away from the complexities of our contemporary world. I was particularly moved by pieces that explored protest, social consciousness, and personal identity.
As a visual artist that uses design as a tool for change and amplifies unheard voices, creating works that challenge the viewer to look closer at the structures of oppression surrounding them is paramount. I'm always interested in students who are willing to dive into intimate explorations of the self, heritage, and the human experience. These themes were most poignantly realized through three distinct disciplines that stood out for me in this year's pool:
- Animation and Motion Graphics: For its ability to breathe life into abstract concepts and narrative empathy.
- Sculpture: For the tactile, physical presence that forces the viewer to engage with space and form.
- Illustration: For the precision and clarity used to translate internal perspectives into a shared visual language.
To the students whose work is featured here: your bravery in sharing these perspectives is evident. It takes immense courage to be a student artist today-to remain vulnerable while developing your voice and to put your personal convictions on display for public critique. To those whose work was not selected: the density of talent in this pool was immense, and I encourage you to view this not as a final judgment, but as a single point of dialogue in your evolving artistic careers.
I leave this jurying process deeply inspired by the technical skill and emotional depth of the UMD student body. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to witness the future of the arts.
Mika Negishi Laidlaw
It is a great honor to serve as one of the jurors for ASE 2026 at UMD. I want to sincerely thank all the students who submitted their work. Your pieces conveyed passion, energy, concern, and compassion for the world. The depth of your commitment to art making — and the joy you find in the creative process — are clearly evident. I would also like to congratulate the faculty at UMD. You are cultivating an outstanding community of visual art students. It is clear that much of what we see in this remarkable exhibition is the result of meaningful collaboration between students and faculty. I carefully reviewed 290 entries. In making my selections, I considered both conceptual maturity and craftsmanship. Many submissions demonstrated exceptional technical skill, thoughtful development, and nuanced engagement with complex human experiences. I was moved by the individuality and perspective that each artist brought to their work. Please remember that my selection reflects one person’s perspective. As an active artist myself, I continue to submit my own work and have faced countless rejections. I encourage all of you to keep sharing your work and putting it into the world, because what we do matters. We are living in a time of historical turbulence, and the act of making and sharing art is more important than ever. Through creative expression, we sustain one another and ourselves. Thank you again for sharing your voices and stories.
