Finlandia University's Art Night is set to offer an evening of artistic events being held for the final time due to the university's closure. These events are the presentation of awards and prizes at the university's annual Juried Student Exhibit, the public reception of the Staff Exhibit, and the traditional student fashion show with the theme of carboard this year.

HANCOCK, Mich. (WLUC) - Thursday evening, Finlandia University’s Art Night will kick off with three separate events in-store. These three events have never happened together on the same evening.

Running from 6 to 6:45 p.m., you can gather at the Jutila Center in Hancock to observe the final annual Juried Student Exhibit.

The event is sponsored by Finlandia’s Art Unity Club, a club that started only this past year.

Some exhibit works are even for sale. Awards and prizes are also being given out in various categories.

“There will be 12 awards given, including First Place for a Three-Dimensional Work, First Place for Two-Dimensional Work, there will be a Best of Show, a Faculty Show, and a Purchase Award,” said Finlandia University Gallery Director Carrie Flaspohler.

You are then invited to attend the 2023 Faculty Exhibit reception at 7 p.m. Located at the Finnish American Heritage Center, you can enjoy looking at the artwork created by staff for the last time. Refreshments will be served.

One of the nine participating artists, Emeritus Finlandia Professor Joyce Koskenmaki, says this is one of the best displays of art they’ve had for the faculty exhibit.

“We’ve had many faculty shows,” said Koskenmaki. “But this one in particular, for some reason, even though we didn’t know that the gallery was, you know, ending, all the artists in the show are spectacular and I think it’s a great show.”

At around 7:20 p.m., students will perform in a traditional fashion show for attendees. Students will walk around the gallery, showing off their creations. This year’s theme? Cardboard.

“As they come down and their artwork is presented, there will be a little announcement kinda explaining what their art is, who made it, and each student is going to be modeling their own artwork,” said Art Unity President Yarah Franco Gonzalez.

Faculty artists will speak regarding their work following the show until the reception ends around 8:30 p.m.

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