School of Art to Host International Poster Biennial

The University of Arkansas School of Art, housed in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, will host the United States International Poster Biennial, a juried exhibition with stops across the world, during a public reception Jan. 29. The exhibition — which is now up at the Studio and Design Center — offers community members a comprehensive survey of poster designs from around the world, which include several from School of Art faculty and students.

The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, at the School of Art’s Studio and Design Center, with food and drinks available. Ryan Slone, assistant professor of graphic design and interim graduate program director who also serves as the co-founder and vice president of the U.S. International Poster Biennial, will offer brief remarks recognizing U of A participants and present the USIPB Gold Award to Andi Hardin, a Master of Design Fellow in the School of Art at the U of A.

Hardin’s poster, titled “The Gratitude Magma – Yellowstone,” explores energy as a show of gratitude to the world. “My focus in creating my poster was the abstract emotional interpretation of Yellowstone’s supervolcano, picturing the caldera as a symbol of gratitude. Beneath the surface, granitic magma is dense, powerful and patient. It does not erupt in chaos but builds in silence, shaping the Earth with intention. Gratitude works the same way.”

The United States International Poster Biennial is a nonprofit that supports and showcases poster design from the U.S. and around the world. The organization uses posters to help people share ideas, tell stories and discuss contemporary culture. Many of the posters are created to raise awareness, show support for communities or causes, or encourage civic participation.

The 2025 edition of USIPB drew 11,845 poster submissions from 93 countries. Selected works are exhibited across the United States and internationally.

“Posters are a resilient medium to encourage public discourse,” Slone said. “The United States International Poster Biennial creates a platform where designers from around the world can use the poster as a tool for dialogue, critique and cultural exchange. By bringing this work to the University of Arkansas, the School of Art serves as a center for these vital conversations to take place.”

A highlight of the exhibition is a dedicated U of A wall showcasing work by U of A-affiliated designers and emphasizing the institution’s growing impact in international design spaces. U of A participants include:

• Gaby Hernandez, Endowed Associate Professor of Graphic Design
• Andi Hardin, M.Des. Fellow (Gold Award recipient)
• Hanna Ji, M.Des. graduate, Class of 2026
• Sousan Samanifar, MDES graduate student, Class of 2026
• Jessica Miles, MDES alumna, Class of 2024

This year’s exhibition was juried by both a selection jury and an international jury composed of leading designers, educators and creative professionals, reinforcing the biennial’s rigorous standards and international credibility. The jury included David Carson, a renowned designer who has worked with Armani, Nine Inch Nails, among other recognizable brands, and Luba Lukova, whose designs are in the permanent collection at the Ford Foundation in New York City along with a traveling exhibition, “Designing Justice,” which has been shown across the world.

In addition to its Fayetteville stop, the 2025 USIPB exhibition has been shown at Oklahoma State University, Iowa State University, Suffolk University, Missouri State University and in a public-space exhibition in Los Angeles, California, with additional international exhibitions planned for 2026, including Warsaw, Poland, and a forthcoming public panel at Poster House in New York City.

About the School of Art: Housed in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Arkansas School of Art offers undergraduate degrees and tuition-free graduate programs in art education, art history, graphic design and studio art, including ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture. Formerly the Department of Art, the School of Art was established in 2017 following a transformative $120 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. With additional support from the Windgate Foundation, the School of Art developed the Windgate Art and Design District, providing state-of-the-art facilities and strong partnerships with regional arts institutions. Learn more at art.uark.edu. 

About the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart and soul of the University of Arkansas — where discovery, creativity, and curiosity meet to create transformational educational experiences. Encompassing three schools, 16 departments, and numerous programs and research centers, Fulbright College connects the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences to advance knowledge, discovery, and serve Arkansas and the world. Discover more at fulbright.uark.edu.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.