What do Albert Einstein, Attila the Hun, Michael Jackson, and Marie Antoinette all have in common? They are all popular or revered figures, often considered the “kings and queens” of their fields. “Kings and Queens” brings together images depicting the biographies of these and other prominent individuals, created by third-year students in the BFA Illustration and BFA Cartooning departments of the School of Visual Arts. The exhibition will be on view from April 6 through April 20 at the Visual Arts Gallery, 601 West 26 Street, 15th floor, New York City.

Thomas Woodruff, chair of the BFA Illustration and BFA Cartooning departments and curator of the exhibition, says, “Unlike many exhibitions, where one may need an elaborate explanation or theory to view the work, these paintings, drawings, sculptures and comics are there to be read clearly. They are literary works inspired from research and rendered with clarity.”

Over 80 different biographical projects in the form of paintings, illustrations, and comics will be on display, including a series of 360 drawings exploring the life of Albert Einstein and his theory of relativity, the story of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a series of T-shirts, a suite of etchings depicting the life of Julia Child, and 11 paintings illustrating Neil Armstrong and his Apollo 11 mission.

With a commitment to excellence dating back to SVA’s founding in 1947, the BFA Illustration and BFA Cartooning departments cultivate individual voices sustained by a high degree of craft. Illustration and cartooning students are prepared not only to excel at self-expression but also to solve visual problems and comment on the culture. They produce comic books, graphic novels, children’s books, editorial illustrations, theatrical posters, movie credits and television production designs, and figurative art gallery exhibitions—all powerful vehicles for artists’ inner worlds and meaningful contributions to a public forum.

Exhibition

Kings and Queens Exhibition

SVA Chelsea Gallery

Reception