Villa Terrace Art Museum hosts MIAD alumni in gallery opening

“Black American Flag” by Nick Drain, exhibition view, Villa Terrace Art Museum

Two MIAD New Studio Practice: Fine Arts alumni, Nick Drain ’20 and Z Moralez ’21, will be featured in the Villa Terrace Art Museum’s new exhibition “Grounded,” alongside Sydnie Jimenez, a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. “Grounded” is a contemporary sculpture exhibition that explores “narratives of identity and relationships with space and socio-political systems” and spotlights young, rising artists. 

“In their work, Sydnie, Nick and Z are seamlessly combining multiple modes of making to challenge the status quo and cement their narratives in history,” says Phoenix Brown, Senior Curator of “Grounded.” Brown guided the exhibition as a way to connect contemporary sculpture to the architecture and physical experience of Villa Terrace, which features Italian Renaissance design and overlooks Lake Michigan. “Many of the featured pieces in “Grounded” point back to the materiality of the Villa,” Brown continues. 

Drain credits his New Studio Practice: Fine Arts professors with breaking down “the boundaries between the school environment and the greater art world outside of it. That was instrumental in helping me understand what kinds of things were possible.” He also speaks to the importance of building community at MIAD, saying “All of the moments I’ve cherished most, the opportunities for growth, and the achievements I’ve been most proud of have been the result of someone I considered a peer, and more likely, a friend.”

“Aplastar” by Z Moralez, exhibition view, Villa Terrace Art Museum

Villa Terrace invites visitors to “observe how artists think critically of who they surround themselves with, their resistance to socio-political systems, and how they portray personal experiences” at the gallery opening on October 27 at 6 p.m., which is free, open to the public and will feature live music, light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Stop by the Charles Allis Museum at 8 p.m. for a “semi-official afterparty” to celebrate the last night of the Autumn at the Allis musical series, as well as the opening of the new Connecting Galleries. Admission to the Villa Terrace Museum is also free on the first Wednesday of the month. Find more information on the Villa Terrace website.

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