BFA alumni Ali Hval’s sculpture was included in a New York exhibition mentioned in the New Yorker. The four-person exhibition, curated by Francesca Pessarelli at the international gallery, Ceysson & Bénétière, in New York, June 11 – July 29, 2022, took as its theme, The Ecstasy of Saint Britney, in homage to Britney Spears. The four artists’ works were written about in the iconic Goings on about Town in the New Yorker, which included:
“Ali Hval’s surreal sculptures combine the accoutrements of B.D.S.M. with Barbie Dreamhouse décor. Like the exhibition as a whole, Hval’s bejewelled pieces strike a savvy balance of sugar and spice, forgoing the nice.”
Hval’s work has been noticed by New York before. Her 2022 solo show, Cosmetic Justice, at North Iowa Area City College in Mason City, Iowa, was featured in the New York City Jewelry Week blog. Hval is an interdisciplinary artist currently living and working in Iowa City. Her work combines painting, fabric, ceramic, sculpture, and installation.
Hval received the MFA in painting and drawing with honors from the University of Iowa in 2019. She was awarded a teaching assistantship and a tuition waiver for all three years, as well as a scholarship the first year. She was a 2015 BFA major in studio art with concentrations in sculpture and drawing. As a senior at UA, Hval was awarded one of ten nationwide Windgate Fellowships. Read more about Hval’s Fellowship here. Other UA alumni awardees were Adam Hill in 2012 and Jenny Fine in 2006, both BFA graduates. Hval’s art website is here.
For more information about The University of Alabama’s programs in studio art and art history, visit our Degree Programs page.