The annual Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Exhibition returns to the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University March 14-May 17, 2026, and will feature the work of five MFA candidates — Yeroham Ashagre, Hailey Becker, Niloufar Fallahfar, Vadu Rodrigues, and Alex Vlasov — all of whom are graduating this spring.
This thesis exhibition is the culmination of a three-year program offered by MSU’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design in which the artist-scholars push the existing limits of art while exploring their creative practice with the support of a faculty committee selected by the MFA candidate.
MFA candidates at MSU push beyond the boundaries of existing art and design paradigms, whether working within or across disciplines. Each artist-scholar is encouraged to explore the parameters of their creative journey through material investigation and conceptual inquiry. Each person’s process of discovery is unique, shaped by their own integrative, media-focused, or multidisciplinary approach.
Under the guidance of their faculty committees, the MFA candidates develop a rigorous studio practice and engage in extensive study in a medium or area of concentration. Their work is informed by their curiosity of the world around them and complemented by coursework in the history of art and related fields. While developing their thesis exhibitions, the MFA candidates work with their committees to refine their research and artistic goals, deepening their understanding of what it means to be a contemporary practicing artist. The MFA Exhibition serves as evidence of their achievements and continuing artistic and scholarly promise.
MFA Exhibition Hours and Events
The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum is open Wednesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is always free.
The 2026 MFA Exhibition Opening Reception is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. A short awards program will take place at 6:30 p.m. to announce the recipient of the Selma and Stanley Hollander Fellowship for Graduate Study and the annual John and Susan Berding Family Foundation Endowed Master of Fine Arts Prize. The Berding MFA Prize will be awarded by guest juror Donna Honarpisheh, Ph.D., Associate Curator of Art and Research at the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami in Miami, Florida.
The MFA candidates will discuss their work during the Artist Talks event on Wednesday, April 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. A question-and-answer session with the artists will follow, with the discussion moderated by Rachel Winter, Ph.D., Assistant Curator.
Exhibition Organization and Support
The 2026 MFA Exhibition is organized by the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in partnership with MSU’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design and curated by Rachel Winter, Ph.D., Assistant Curator, with support from Nat Swartz, Curatorial Research Assistant. Support for this exhibition is provided by the Graduate School at MSU and the John and Susan Berding Family Endowment.
