The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Alumni

Allison Glenn (MA 2012) has been named Curator of the 2026 Toronto Biennial of Art. Throughout her career, Allison’s curatorial and writing practice has focused heavily on creating experimental, site-specific exhibitions that celebrate contemporary art in public spaces. In her role as Artistic Director of the Shepherd, a three-and-a-half-acre arts campus in the cultural district of Detroit, Allison continues to put this vision into practice. On the topic of Allison’s selection as Curator, Patrizia Libralatoas, Toronto Biennial founder and executive director, stated, “Her thoughtful approach as well as her deep interest in Canada having grown up in nearby Detroit, will no doubt allow her to seamlessly work with artists and partners from across the country as well as internationally to create a powerful Biennial for Toronto.” Congratulations, Allison!

Image Credit: Grace Roselli

Cynthia Pelayo (MFA 2011) is a Bram Stoker Award winning and International Latino Book Award winning author and poet. Her latest psychological thriller, Vanishing Daughters, was released earlier this month and explores themes of grief and the supernatural through the story of a Chicago journalist racing to expose a serial killer before it’s too late. Her other critically acclaimed works - such as Loteria, Children of Chicago, and Forgotten Sisters - have been reviewed by The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, LA Review of Books, and more. Congratulations on your latest release, Cynthia!

Image 1: Photo taken by Tyler Pasicak, LaRiviere/Sun-Times.

Pieces by six alums were featured in ArtNews’ 100 Best Artworks of the 21st Century! Congratulations to Zach Blas (PBS 2006), Wu Tsang (BFA 2004), Wafaa Bilal (MFA 2003), Paul Chan (BFA 1996), Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo aka Puppies Puppies (MFA 2013), and Tania Bruguera (MFA 2001, HON 2016).

Check out the full article linked in our bio.

Image 1: Zach Blas, Facial Weaponization Suite, 2012-14. Photo: Courtesy the artist.
Image 2: Wu Tsang, WILDNESS, 2012. Photo: Courtesy the artist/Galerie Isabella Bortolozzi, Berlin. Headshot by Tosh Basco for Art Basel.
Image 3: Wafaa Bilal, Dog or Iraqi, 2008. Photo: Courtesy the artist.
Image 4: Paul Chan, 1st Light, 2005. Photo: Jean Vong/Courtesy the artist and Greene Naftali, New York.
Image 5: Puppies Puppies, Barriers (Stanchions), 2017. Photo: Courtesy the artist and Trautwein Herleth, Berlin. Artist image: Hadi Mourad
Image 6: Tania Bruguera, Untitled (Havana, 2000), at The Museum of Modern Art, 2018. Photo: Denis Doorly/Courtesy Museum of Modern Art, York. Headshot by Andrew Testa via New York Times.

We’re in the final hours of Giving Day—there’s still time to give! Midnight is your last chance to join us in supporting the next generation of artists, designers, and scholars. Your gift, no matter the size, will help fuel their bold ideas and bright futures.

Don’t wait—every gift brings us closer to our goal of 300 donors. Together, we can finish strong and make this SAIC Giving Day one to remember! Make your gift at saic.edu/givingday.

Let’s make these final hours count! 💙

Griffin Goodman (MFA 2019) was named one of Forbes Magazine’s
30 Under 30 for 2025 in the Art & Style category. His work has
appeared in exhibitions internationally and led him to collaborations
with the Chicago Bulls, Lollapalooza and Warner Brothers. Griffin
explores a wide range of themes in his pieces, blending his
trademark comic-inspired style with beloved cartoon characters and
pop culture references. Congratulations on this honor, Griffin!

Image Credit: TONY FAVARULA, 2023.

John Marquis (BFA 2002) has been nominated for an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award for his work on the recent blockbuster film, Wicked (2024). In his role as the Supervising Sound Editor and Sound Design/Re-recording Mixer, John helped bring the beloved, critically acclaimed musical to the silver screen. Other standout projects from his career as a sound designer include major films like Crazy Rich Asians (2018), The Flash (2023), and In the Heights (2021). Congratulations on your nomination, John! We’ll be tuning in to watch the Oscars on March 2.

FEB 18 at 6PM | Join us for Edra Soto’s Distinguished Alumni Lecture!

Edra Soto (MFA 2000) is a Puerto Rican–born artist, educator, and co-director of the outdoor project space The Franklin. Soto instigates meaningful, relevant, and often difficult conversations surrounding socioeconomic and cultural oppression, erasure of history, and loss of cultural knowledge. Having grown up in Puerto Rico, and now immersed in her Chicago community, the artist has evolved to raise questions through her work about constructed social orders, diasporic identity, and the legacy of colonialism.

Image 1: Courtesy of ICA San Diego.
Image 2: La Casa de Todos / Everyone's Home at Comfort Station, 2024. Photo: Maria Burundarena.

This year, four SAIC alums were named Creative Capital Awardees in the Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and Film/Moving Image categories. Congratulations to Damon Locks (BFA 1991), Lori Felker (MFA 2007), Susan Chen (PBS 2004), and Amber Bemak (MFA 2006)!

Image 1: Damon Locks lead a discussion around art and civic engagement at an MCA field trip during his SPACE residency at the MCA. As a Teaching Artist with School Partnership for Art and Civic Engagement, also known as SPACE, Damon helped to foster the creative, intellectual, and civic development of students at Sarah E. Goode S.T.E.M Academy. Damon Locks is a Chicago-based visual artist, educator, vocalist/musician. Photo taken by Nathan Keay.

Image 2: Lori Felker, “Patient,” Video, 19.5m, 2023. Lori is is a filmmaker, artist, and educator whose films have been screened at film festivals internationally, including Rotterdam, Slamdance, Ann Arbor Film Festival, BAMcinemaFest, EXiS in Korea, Festival du nouveau cinema in Montreal and Kinodot in Russia. She currently lives and works in Chicago as Assistant Professor in the School of Cinematic Arts at DePaul University.

Image 3: Susan Chen, “The Paintings Are Not Going to Paint Themselves,” 2024. Susan is an artist and oil painter currently working and living in New York City. Her focus in portraiture has led her to work with over 100 different individuals as subjects, many of whom identify as members of the Asian Diaspora. She is a 2022 Forbes Under 30 North America Honoree, 2022 Artsy Vanguard Artist, and 2020 Hopper Prize Winner.

Image 4: Amber Bemak, still from “100 Ways to Cross the Border,” 2022. Amber is a Dallas, TX based filmmaker, artist, and educator whose work spans many different borders and subjects. Her experience living in Mexico, India, and Nepal has greatly inspired and informed her films, which have been seen at venues including the National Gallery of Art, the Rubin Museum of Art, SculptureCenter, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Tamayo Museum.

FEB 4 at 6PM | Join internationally renowned artist Wafaa Bilal (MFA 2003) and Bana Kattan (MA 2011), curator and associate head of exhibitions at Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, for a conversation about the artist's first major survey, “Wafaa Bilal: Indulge Me,” at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Wafaa Bilal is known for his online, performative, and interactive works provoking dialogue about international and interpersonal politics. Named Artist of the Year in 2008 by the Chicago Tribune, his work is featured in the permanent collections in museums globally. Bilal is currently an arts professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Bana Kattan is a researcher and curator with experience working in the Arab world and the United States. Prior to her time at the Guggenheim, she was the Pamela Alper associate curator at the MCA Chicago and the curator at the New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery.

Hope to see you there!

This program is presented in partnership with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago's Visiting Artists Program and the MCA Chicago.

Image 1: Wafaa Bilal. Courtesy of the artist.
Image 2: Bana Kattan. Photo: Maria Ponce
Image 3: Wafaa Bilal, Rendering of Canto III, 2023. © Wafaa Bilal. Courtesy of the artist.

Join SAIC Alumni Engagement, President Jiseon Lee Isbara, and Dean of Faculty Camille Martin-Thomsen for a reception at the 2025 College Art Association Annual Conference to network with alums and faculty. Please note that conference registration is not required to attend. RSVP using the link below by Feb 10.

Friday, February 14
12:30pm - 2:00pm
New York Hilton Midtown - New York Room
1335 6th Ave
New York, NY

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/saic-at-caa-lunch-reception-tickets-1196126770369?aff=oddtdtcreator

Presenting at CAA this year? We want to know! Fill out the form in the link below to share your session information.

https://forms.gle/kFc9qJvMDWYSErnf6

Matteo Lane (BFA 2009) is a multi-talented stand up comedian whose performances have sold out venues all over the US and captivated audiences watching his specials on Amazon, Netflix, and soon, Hulu. Matteo has brought his passion for creating and performing into every facet of his career - from oil painting and opera singing in Italy, to charming audiences with his standup and appearances on shows like Late Night with Seth Meyers and HBO’s “Crashing”. His latest projects include a new cookbook set to be released in April of 2025 (available for pre-order now!) as well as a Hulu comedy special in May. Congratulations, Matteo!


Image 1: Photo by Troy Hallahan

Los Angeles’ CULTURED Magazine recently featured alum Isabelle McGuire (BFA 2016), who merges coding and art in their innovative practice. McGuire was also placed on the magazine’s 2024 Young Artist list. After McGuire received their degree in film from SAIC, they went on to teach themself coding during the height of the pandemic which led to their first solo show at King’s Leap in New York. There, McGuire used video game symbolism to craft a unique narrative experience. Since then, McGuire has participated in prominent group exhibitions at Artists Space and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Their upcoming project at the Renaissance Society re-imagines Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace, blending historical fiction and cultural critique. Congratulations Isabelle!

Thank you to all the alums who joined us at this year's SAIC Miami Brunch! It was wonderful to connect and celebrate the incredible work you do. We were especially excited to introduce our new president, Jiseon Lee Isbara, to the SAIC community during Miami Art Week.

Keep an eye on your email for future event updates! Not receiving SAIC emails? Update your contact information using the link in our bio!

Don't forget to submit your news to Class Notes for the Spring Magazine by December 15. Link for submissions here: https://forms.gle/8hopJqM2j8PyzGnK6

Questions? Contact [email protected]

Meg Onli (BFA 2008) has been appointed as the Nancy and Fred Poses Curator at the Whitney Museum. Previously, as the Whitney’s Curator-At-Large, Meg co-curated the acclaimed Whitney Biennial 2024: Even Better Than the Real Thing. In her new role, she will be leading the museum’s painting and sculpture acquisition committee and is set to co-curate the Whitney’s Roy Lichtenstein exhibition slated for 2026 - the first major retrospective of the artist’s work in New York City in more than 30 years. Congratulations Meg, we look forward to your future projects at the Whitney!

Jungsoo Kim (MFA 2005) recently founded Atelier Kim, a luxury hospitality and residential design studio with Beemok Hospitality Group. Atelier Kim encompasses a team of experts within all aspects of design, including interior spaces, landscapes, architecture, artworks and accessories, signage and brand experience. Under Jungsoo’s leadership, Atelier Kim is overseeing the $150+ million multi-phased reimagination of The Charleston Place, which will transform nearly every space within the iconic hotel while honoring the property's historic integrity, classical architecture and cultural vibrancy. Congratulations Jungsoo!

Join School of the Art Institute of Chicago President Jiseon Lee Isbara and Alumni Engagement to celebrate the SAIC community during Miami Art Week.

Friday, December 6
10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
High Tide Restaurant at the Kimpton Hotel
1717 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL

RSVP here by November 25: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/saic-in-miami-alum-brunch-tickets-1039033165167

Involved in Miami Art Week? Share your info with us by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/QaVH3MRmmHB49MZo9