MCLA Gallery 51 to Present Senior Art Exhibition “Signs or Life: Inventions of Sickly and Virtuous Minds”
April 22, 2026
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) Gallery 51 will present "Signs of Life:
Inventions of Sickly and Virtuous Minds," a senior art exhibition featuring work by
Shyane Gladu, Jenni Murphy, Max Sweeney, and Stephanie Trotto, on view May 1 through
May 17, 2026.
The exhibition opens with a free public reception on Friday, May 1, from 5 to 7 p.m.
at Gallery 51, located at 51 Main St., North Adams. Refreshments will be provided.
The collection opens new worlds, revealing deep personal spaces and illuminating the
dark yet inspiring portrayals of bodies and forms.
Gladu invites viewers into a personal exploration of the spiritual realm, examining
the intersection of the mystical and the psychological. Through collages and drawings,
she visualizes demonic figures and spiritual symbols that represent access to the
darker sides of the spirit world. "Demonic symbolism lets me externalize my inner
battles," Gladu said. "By putting them on paper, I take ownership of them instead
of hiding them." Each piece becomes a meditation on resilience, identity, and growth.
Sweeney's work explores the conceptual aspects of being human through body parts,
using painting, sculpture, and design to imagine living bodies made from synthetic,
late-modern waste materials. His work envisions many possible futures for life on
Earth and beyond, examining the interconnectedness of living beings and viewing humanity
as a collective movement that communicates and responds to its evolving environment.
Murphy specializes in illustrating humans through character design, focusing on how
people interact with one another in a detailed, cartoon-like style. Her work is entirely
handmade, rendered with colored pencils and graphite on 18-by-24-inch paper, and reflects
her love for adventure stories.
Trotto's work centers on women and society, examining how women's bodies are displayed
and objectified in the media. Working in collage, printmaking, and textiles, she creates
commentaries on 21st-century society. "I want to combine elements of the past and
the present, finding the interconnectedness between who we were and who we are now
as a society," Trotto said.
Students are guided by MCLA art professors, Gallery 51 staff, and guest artists to
develop work for their exhibitions, as well as professional statements, resumes, and
other materials for entering the art industry. The exhibiting students also gave an
artist talk at MCLA's 24th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference on April 23, 2026.
For more information about "Signs of Life: Inventions of Sickly and Virtuous Minds,"
visit mcla.edu/gallery51 or call 413-662-5324.
MCLA Gallery 51 is a program of MCLA's MOSAIC and is located at 51 Main St., North
Adams.
About MCLA
At MCLA, we're here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught
by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive
on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed
to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered
to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to
public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence.
MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report's list of Top Ten Public Colleges for
11 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts
Schools in the nation for 2026. The College's focus on affordable education and economic
prosperity is reflected in additional 2026 U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for Top Performer
on Social Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 4 for Top Performer
on Social Mobility for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings
measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.