School of Art graphic design seniors in Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences present the third annual senior show, FORM.

The campus and community are able to view the FORM on the second floor of the Fine Arts Building today through Saturday, May 6-8, or virtually at formseniorshow.uark.edu.

FORM has been designed and created by the graphic design graduating seniors, with the goal of a unique experience reflecting the class of 2021 and the program. 

"This graduating class of 2021 has shown remarkable tenacity and strength, pivoting halfway through their college experience due to COVID-19," said Bree McMahon, assistant professor of graphic design. "What may have been detrimental to most, this class has risen to the challenge with impressive enthusiasm, producing final projects and inquiries that are carefully considered and passionately formed. The theme of their final show, FORM, speaks to the ways they have become fully-formed designers and citizens that have taken on immense challenges and conquered them. They now exist as creatives and makers in a totally changed world, and the projects they've completed showcase their readiness to continue changing and challenging the status quo."

The exhibition features work from the 27 graduating seniors in the program. They have spent the past semester researching and developing projects that reflect the culmination of their design education over the past three years. 

Each senior choses an issue and develops a speculative solution to assist in addressing and resolving the problem through design. Topics of this year's show range from art education to sustainable fashion to preserving and exploring our national parks. Each project features unique design solutions that aim to make the world a better place and resolve these issues, focusing specifically on human-centered design.

Graphic design is an expanding, high-demand field with numerous design agencies local to the Northwest Arkansas area. Some graduating seniors will be staying local and working for companies like Sam's Club and Walmart, as well as design agencies such as DOXA/VANTAGE and BLK BOX Labs. 

"Graduates in the class of 2021 are leaving the program with a wide range of skills that prepare them for many different jobs in the design field, including UX design, branding, consumer packaged goods and design research—plus a great deal of experience with working and collaborating remotely," said Alison Place, assistant professor of graphic design. "We're very excited for their bright futures."

All are invited to see FORM today through Saturday, May 6-8:

• Thursday, May 6, noon to 7 p.m.
• Friday, May 7, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, May 8, noon to 7 p.m.

To see more of the seniors' work, follow @form.uark on Instagram.