The Fight Within

Columbia College of South Carolina · Graduating Seniors' Exhibition · 2020–2021

A CASE STUDY

A graduating class's exhibition, built and opened in the middle of a pandemic.

 

Overview

As Art Department Chair at Columbia College, I led the graduating seniors' capstone exhibition, The Fight Within — staged during COVID, when nothing about mounting a show was simple. The students developed the theme themselves, drawn from the through-line of their previous semester's work, and each was given a "room" in the gallery to express it. I directed the exhibition from concept to opening: the curatorial structure, the title wall, the website, the in-person reception, and a virtual presentation so the campus community and the public could attend when in-person gatherings were limited.

“We all have experienced or are facing various types of struggles in our lives.
... This exhibition exposes the internal struggles that we, the artists, experience. Instead of leaving these struggles in the dark, we open the door to our “rooms” and shed light on our internal battles. Through our work, we want to create a sense of community and reassurance ... we let others know that they are not alone.”
— Excerpt from "The Fight Within" Senior Art Exhibition, Columbia College 2021

PROJECT GOALS

  • Give graduating seniors a professional, capstone-level exhibition of their work

  • Build the show around a student-generated theme central to their recent practice

  • Mount a full gallery experience despite COVID constraints

  • Reach both an in-person and a remote audience

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Art Chair / Exhibition Lead, responsible for:

  • Guiding students to define and articulate the exhibition's theme, The Fight Within

  • Structuring the gallery so each student had a dedicated "room" for their body of work

  • Overseeing the design and installation of the exhibition title wall

  • Directing the creation of the exhibition website

  • Coordinating the opening reception within health and safety constraints

  • Producing a virtual presentation for the campus community and the public

Creative Direction & Design Notes

  • Curatorial structure: Individual "rooms" let each graduate's work stand on its own while sharing a common theme

  • Title wall: Designed and installed as the show's anchoring visual identity

  • Hybrid delivery: A website and virtual presentation extended the exhibition beyond the physical gallery

  • Theme ownership: The Fight Within came from the students, keeping the show authentic to their semester's work

CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS

  • Producing during COVID: Coordinated physical installation, an opening, and a public audience under shifting restrictions by building a hybrid in-person/virtual model

  • Limited gathering: Created a virtual presentation so the community and public could engage remotely

  • Many artists, one show: Used the "room" structure to honor individual work while holding a unified theme

Results & Legacy

  • Delivered a complete capstone exhibition — physical install, title wall, website, reception, and virtual presentation — under pandemic conditions

  • Gave a graduating class a professional showcase when in-person events were at risk

  • Reached both on-site and remote audiences through a hybrid format

  • [Note: the exhibition website was retired by the institution after my departure. Student video interviews may be available as documentation.]

The TAKEAWAY

I worked with these artists throughout their college journey, and watching them grow into confident, articulate makers was no small thing. Helping foster each of their voices and seeing those voices become the work in this show changed me as much as it shaped them. I'm deeply proud of who they became.

It was also coordination under pressure: artists, timelines, a physical install, and a digital build, all at once, in a year that made every step harder. But what I remember most isn't the logistics. It's the privilege of giving a class of artists I'd watched for years a final room of their own to be seen in.

The works shown were created by the graduating senior artists of Columbia College of South Carolina (2020–2021). I'm proud to have helped bring their final exhibition to life. If you're one of these artists and would like to be credited by name (or would prefer your work removed), please reach out at hello@aldrena.com.

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