Exhibition Information:
Twelve Gates Arts (12G) is pleased to collaborate with the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to present its MFA Painting Thesis Show, a group exhibition featuring the works of ten graduating MFA artists. Aiza Ahmed, Ashley N. Bergner, Aaron Feltman, Christopher Huff, James Ming Johnson, Boluwatife Oyediran, Gonçalo Preto, Dylan Sheahan, Lily Taylor, and Zainab Zulfiqar will showcase their works with an opening on Friday, June 7th, 2024 at Twelve Gates Arts. This exhibition marks the culmination of artistic exploration for these graduating MFA students. The Thesis Show is on view until July 20th, 2024 at Twelve Gates Arts located at 106 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106.
Opening Reception: June 7th, 2024, 5:30-8:30pm (Twelve Gates Arts located at 106 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106.)
Gallery Hours: Thursday - Saturday 11am - 5pm or by appointment.
Aiza Ahmed (b. 1997, Lahore, Pakistan) earned her BFA at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, in 2020. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Painting at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI, with an expected graduation year of 2024. Ahmed’s first solo exhibition in India is scheduled in 2025 at Chemould CoLab, an extension program of Chemould Prescott Road. She is the recipient of several awards, including The Graduate Commons Grant Fellowship, Providence, RI (2024); the Rhode Island School of Design Fellowship, Providence, RI (2022); The Edith Stone and Walter King Memorial Prize, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (2019); and the David R. Bean Prize in Fine Arts, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (2018). Ahmed is an alumnus of the William Kentridge & The Centre for the Less Good Idea, Providence, RI.
Ashley N. Bergner (b.1995, Knoxville, Tennessee) earned her BFA at The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN, in 2019. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Painting at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI, expected 2024.
Aaron Feltman (b.1998, Huntington, NY) is an artist living and working in Providence, RI. Feltman received his BFA at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA, in 2020. Recent group exhibitions include Biomes, CCS Bard Hessel Museum, Annandale-On-Hudson, NY (2024); A Room with a view, Vardan Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (2023); In the Heat of the Night, Andrew Reed Gallery, New York, NY (2023); The Bathroom Show, Monya Rowe Gallery, New York, NY (2022); and AXA Art Prize, New York Academy of Fine Arts, New York, NY (2020). Feltman is an alumnus of the Yale Norfolk Residency, Norfolk, CT (2019).
Christopher Huff earned his BFA at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD, in 2020. He is currently pursuing his MFA in Painting at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI, with an expected graduation year of 2024. Recent solo exhibitions include Platform Exhibition, Unit London, London, UK (2022); and Cathexis, Pinkard Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD (2019). He is the recipient of several awards, including the MFA Gelman Scholarship, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI (2022); Nicolette Ausschnitt ’66 Scholarship Award, Rhode Island School of Design (2023); among others.
James Ming Johnson (b. 1990, Bangkok, Thailand) earned his BA in Film and Media at Stanford University, Stanford, CA and is pursuing his MFA in Painting at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI, in 2024. Johnson previously studied at the Art Students League in New York, NY (2016), before attending the post-baccalaureate program at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA.
Boluwatife Oyediran (b. 1997, Ogbomosho, Nigeria) studied Fine and Applied Arts at Emmanuel Alayande College of Education in Oyo, Nigeria, in 2016. He is currently pursuing his MFA in Painting at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI, with an expected graduation year of 2024. His recent solo exhibitions include Point of Correction, Afikaris Gallery, Paris, France (2022); For Boiz Like Me Who’ve Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, Gallery1957, Accra, Ghana (2022).
Gonçalo Preto (b. 1991, Lisbon, Portugal) is an artist living and working in Providence, RI. Preto received his BFA Faculty of Fine Arts of Lisbon in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2012. He is currently pursuing his MFA in Painting at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI, with an expected graduation year of 2024. Recent solo exhibitions include A Cadência de uma Chama, Galeria Madrogoa, Lisbon, Portugal (2024); Middle Finger Pedestrians, Galeria Madragoa, Lisbon Portugal (2019); LIMBO, Museu Carlos Machado, Ponta Delgada (São Miguel), Azores, Portugal (2019); among others. He is the recipient of several awards, including a Fullbright FCC Grant (2022); Rhode Island School of Design Fellowship, Providence, RI (2022); Hopper Prize Finalist (2023); among others.
Dylan Sheahan (b. 1996, Red Bank, NJ) earned his BFA from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth in Dartmouth, MA. He is currently pursuing his MFA in Painting at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI, with an expected graduation year of 2024.
Lily Taylor (b. 1993, New York, NY) is an artist living and working in Providence, RI. Taylor received her BA in English from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, in 2016. Recent group exhibitions include Painting with Butter, Sol Koffler Gallery, RISD, Providence, RI (2023); Painting Triennial, Woods Gerry Gallery, RISD, Providence, RI (2022); and Hot Box, Flatiron Project Space, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY (2022).
Zainab Zulfiqar (b. 1996, Lahore, Pakistan) earned their BFA at the National College of Arts in New York, NY, in 2021. They are currently pursuing their MFA in Painting at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI, with an expected graduation year of 2024. Recent group exhibitions include Liminal Spaces, Dastangoi Gallery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2022); Liberating Arts in Guantanamo Bay, IVS Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan; And so It Happened, T2F Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan; among others. Zulfiqar is the recipient of the Roger and Gayle Mandle Presidential Fellowship, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI.
For all press inquiries please contact aishakhan@twelvegatesarts.org