'It Will Live Forever': Moore College of Art & Design Seniors Forced To Rethink Thesis Showcase Due To Coronavirus
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Art is often viewed in person. But at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, they've had to rethink how they showcase the work of students in this tumultuous time.
Seniors across the country rightfully saw so much more for the end of their senior year than what they were given due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But with all that was lost, opportunity was still found for seniors at Moore College of Art and Design.
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Normally, Moore's senior thesis would have been viewed in person at the galleries at Moore, but since COVID-19, it's gone virtual. It's with that pivot into the digital space that Cecilia Fitzgibbon, president at Moore, says a worldwide web of possibilities opened up.
"What I love about the virtual exhibition, the thesis exhibition, is that it's evergreen. It will live forever," Fitzgibbon said.
It's also a reminder for students, like Keneyssa Evans, that letdowns often lead to breakthroughs.
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"My piece that I submitted for my thesis actually addressed surveillance in black neighborhoods," Evans said. "When I had to move off-campus to continue to do my thesis, I actually changed it up a bit. After manipulating it in Photoshop, etc. it kind of expanded my idea. Instead of sitting down and dwelling on the negative impact of COVID-19, just keep pushing forward, what else can I do?"
"I used to worry about the students because we're small, we're very supportive, and within a supportive environment, sometimes you get the misunderstanding that the world's going to treat you that way," Fitzgibbon said. "To the one, they have demonstrated that they can be resilient, that they're persistent, that they have grit. And that says to me that each one of them has seen this as an opportunity."
