A unique pop-up show opened on April 9 in the Doolin Gallery, followed by an official reception on April 10. “Labor of Love” is a collection from the Student Organized Art Collective centered around different fan art works from students across campus. The intriguing concept drew the eyes of passersby, who stopped to view the pieces.
SOAC is known for allowing all artists to show off their art, which played a large part in the theme of the exhibit. Gracyn Buckner, co-president of SOAC, expanded upon the reasoning for holding this kind of event.
“We see a lot of people who are doing fan art, and we notice that there’s not a big space for people to show their love for it,” Buckner said. “A lot of professional spaces don’t give those artists their chance to shine.”
Both co-presidents were excited to finally execute the idea of this kind of exhibit.
“When we first approached the idea of having pop-up shows, a fan illustration show was on our mind from the very beginning,” Buckner said. “We just always knew.”
As always, the exhibit held many different mediums of artistry, showcasing how love for a series can take multiple forms. Having an opportunity to stray from traditional themes delighted many of the artists who submitted work to the gallery. One such contributor was junior Lee Vaylon, who created a Mucha-style art piece featuring Sua from the online song series “Alien Stage.”
“I have been just absolutely obsessed with Sua, who haunts the narrative. I was so excited to see, like, a fan art exhibition,” Vaylon said. “You know, just finding this community of people who love fan-made media and just love stories. I just think that’s so wonderful.”
The excitement wasn’t solely shared by the artists. Visitors also enjoyed seeing some of their favorite characters and media professionally represented on campus. Dana Buzzee, a visiting professor of practice, shared their thoughts on the displays.
“I think it’s perfection,” Buzzee said. “This is an excellent and much-needed show. I think it offers some room for real joy and exploration for building community.”
Bringing people together with love for these characters continues to show SOAC’s effort to promote all artistry from SMU’s students.
“SOAC gives you that chance to connect with other artists and to have professional experience,” Buckner said.
