(L-R) Graduating students from Holland College’s School of Visual Arts programs Chase Murphy, Valerie Duguay, Sara Lee, and Donell Lloyd discuss preparations for their upcoming showcase at Confederation Centre of the Arts. (Photo Credit: Jean-Sebastien Duchesne)

Holland College’s graduating classes of the Fundamental Arts, Graphic Design, Photography and Videography, and Video Game Art and Animation programs will hold their annual showcase from April 17 to May 12 in the Frederic S. and Ogden Martin Concourse Gallery in Confederation Center of the Arts.

In the past, the students in the School of Visual Arts programs were encouraged to select a theme for their annual show; but this year, the instructors took a slightly different approach. On a snowy day in January, the students were asked to complete a short survey designed to capture their current mood and see where they would place themselves on a spectrum of happiness, recognizing that the results are neither good nor bad, but reflected how the students felt that day.

They were then asked to visualize what the future might look like. Their solutions could be personal and introspective, or they could look outwardly at the world to create images that reflect their vision of what the future would be like in a couple of weeks, months, years, or even millennia. The titles of each piece are adjectives chosen by the students to describe the future as they imagined it. The resulting work is featured in the showcase, appropriately named "The future is _______."

April Condon, an instructor in the Graphic Design program, said the exhibition exemplifies the individuality of the School of Visual Arts students.

"Our students are naturally very observant and often sensitive to the world around them. Reflecting on how we feel in this moment and what we think the future might be is important for anyone. It's an opportunity to question the future and a collective showcase of imagination. Our soon-to-be graduates are expressing themselves through paintings, photography, illustrations, and 3D renderings, and I am excited to see their work on display," she said.

Family, friends, and members of the public are invited to the opening reception on April 18 at 4 p.m., where they can take in the artwork and engage with the faculty and students from the program. Admission is free.