Director Notes
Spring is an exciting time in our School, with a series of graduation exhibitions and events celebrating our students’ creative work and dedication to their studies. The BA exhibition Ways of Becoming at the Jacob Lawrence Gallery has kicked off the undergraduate shows, and the MFA + MDes Thesis Exhibition and Design Show will soon follow. The quarter will conclude with our Graduation Celebration on June 13 at Meany Hall, where we will recognize the class of 2026 as they move on to their next chapter.
In this issue, you’ll find news of faculty honors, student achievements, and alumni milestones, along with stories from the Jacob Lawrence Gallery and beyond. Both the Painting + Printmaking program and the Interaction Design program are hiring full-time lecturers for the 2026–2027 academic year.
We look forward to engaging with you this season— whether you attend an exhibition opening or join us for the Graduation Celebration. Happy spring!
Featured Stories
2026 Graduation Exhibitions
Join us for a series of exhibitions to celebrate our talented art and design students graduating this spring.
Sangram Majumdar receives a Neddy Award
Associate Professor Sangram Majumdar is this year's recipient in the Painting category. Majumdar was also recently featured on Vogue India for his solo exhibition Bad Actors at Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke in Mumbai, India.
Art Fwd: Nour Mobarak
We are excited to welcome artist Nour Mobarak as this year's Art Fwd lecturer on Thursday, May 7, 2026, 6–7:30pm in the Henry Art Gallery's Auditorium.
Influencers (before that was a thing)
In this video, Design faculty members Karen Cheng, Annabelle Gould, Chad P. Hall, and Kristine Matthews share the designers, projects, and ideas that have shaped their individual practices and design values.
Student Stories
Chave Pichardo: Spaces of care
Access, care, and community are at the center of graduating MFA student Chave Pichardo's practice.
2026 Husky 100
VCD seniors Lee Hardisty and Emily Hao, along with MDes second-year McKinley Smith, have been selected for this year's Husky 100.
Alumni Stories
Where the bridge draws back
Visual Communication Design alum Vivian Cho (BDes 2025) was the 2025 Artist in Residence at the University Bridge.
A walk in the Judkins Park neighborhood with artist Barbara Earl Thomas
A public art installation by alum Barbara Earl Thomas has been installed at the Judkins Park Light Rail station.
Cosechando Historias
Featured on WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPR affiliate, Christie Tirado (BA 2013) presents her exhibition “Cosechando Historias,” now on view at Milwaukee’s Latino Arts gallery.
Jacob Lawrence Gallery Stories
Where Life and Death Meet: Representations of Sorrow and Growth in indira allegra’s "Book of Zero"
Maddie Rosales of TeenTix offers an introspective review of indira allegra’s recent exhibition, The Book of Zero, at the Jacob Lawrence Gallery.
Other News
Industrial Design juniors Charlie Johnson and Matthew Li received third place in the International Housewares Association (IHA)’s annual design competition for their project Steamline. As part of the award, they traveled to present their work at the IHA trade show, where their project was also on display. Check out their project.
Kim Van Someren’s solo exhibition Holding the Line is on view May 2–30, 2026, at J. Rinehart Gallery. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, May 7, 5:00–8:00pm, followed by an artist talk on Saturday, May 9, at 1:00pm. View details.
victor yañez-lazcano’s work is included in Immigrant Legacies Beyond Assimilation at Heaven Gallery in Chicago, on view April 24 through June 7, 2026. A virtual artist talk will take place on Saturday, May 16, at 12:00pm. View talk details. View details.
Miriam Chusid, Assistant Professor of Art History, is giving a talk at the Seattle Art Museum on Thursday, May 21, 6–7:30pm as part of the Conversation with Curators series. View details.
Professor Karen Cheng is featured on the Designers on Film podcast. She joined host and Design alum Jason Tselentis (MFA 2004), now Head of Design at Winthrop University, to discuss Working Girl (1988). Listen to the episode.
With support from the Endowed Program Support Fund in Art, a group of art students spent spring break in New York City, engaging with one of the world’s most dynamic creative hubs. View snapshots by Assistant Professor victor yañez-lazcano.
Employment Opportunities
The Painting + Printmaking program is hiring a full-time lecturer for the 2026–27 academic year. Priority will be given to applications received by May 20, 2026. See full job description and application.
The Interaction Design program is hiring a full-time lecturer for the 2026–27 academic year. A review of application submissions will begin on May 15 and continue until the position is filled. See full job description and application.