Art in the Union honors student creativity, three winning pieces
From the left: ASUCLA Student Union Services Director Pamela Lewis, second-year world arts and cultures student Katie Fang, first-year art student Yifei Wu, fourth-year art student Maia Faith Hadaway, ASUCLA Student Government Services and Accounting Manager Jessica Alexander and ASUCLA Student Union Programming Manager Mary Romo.
Honored on May 16 at a formal reception, three students were recognized as the 2024 winners of the ASUCLA Art in the Union among the celebration of all student-made artwork.
Los Angeles, Calif., May 20, 2024 – Adding to the original student-made artwork that graces the Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA) Student Union facilities, three new pieces will be joining the Art in the Union gallery as the 2024 winners.
“Carousel” by second-year world arts and cultures student Katie Fang.
Celebrated at a formal reception on May 16 in the Kerckhoff Art Gallery, the three winners included second-year world arts and cultures student Katie Fang for her watercolor and ink-based painting “Carousel,” fourth-year art student Maia Faith Hadaway for her wood-cut oil painting “A Friend I Could Never Replace,” and first-year art student Yifei Wu for their cyanotype fabric titled “Half the Sky.” The students received $600 in prize winnings and will now have their artwork on display throughout the ASUCLA Student Union for generations to enjoy.
“We’re really excited to see everyone here today for the amazing talent that our students have here; their creativity is just out of this world,” said Pamela Lewis, ASUCLA Student Union Services director, at the May 16 reception.
“Half the Sky” by first-year art student Yifei Wu.
Student creativity flourished this year with 30 entries to Art in the Union representing the diverse range of student skills of painting and drawing, textiles, graphic illustrations and photography. Selecting the winning pieces, the Art in the Union judging committee consisted of ASUCLA executives, ASUCLA Board of Directors members, and office members from the Undergraduate Students Association and Graduate Students Association.
“I’m really honored to be here, thank you all for coming,” said Hadaway, who is also the artist behind the Black Bruins Resource Center mural, at the May 17 reception. “Congratulations to all of the other artists and all of the other winners.”
“A Friend I Could Never Replace,” by fourth-year art student Maia Faith Hadaway.
The Art in the Union program has awarded up to five original student-made pieces annually since 1972, selecting yearly winners from as many as 150 applicants. In 2003, the program, then known as the Student Commissioned Art Program, was modernized to create Art in the Union as a way to honor excellence in student-made visual arts. Across the facilities of Ackerman Union, Kerckhoff Hall, North Campus Student Center and LuValle Commons, ASUCLA has more than 65 winning Art in the Union pieces on display.
To view all three Art in the Union winning pieces and the artists’ descriptions, visit the ASUCLA website here.
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About ASUCLA:
Founded in 1919, Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA) is a nonprofit association that drives vitally essential student services and activities throughout the UCLA campus. ASUCLA boasts the largest college store in the U.S., an extensive food program, UCLA® brand licensing programming through UCLA Trademarks & Licensing, and other services and programs that include student government and student media, which significantly enhances the quality of UCLA’s campus life. For more information and to stay connected, follow @asucla on Instagram or visit asucla.ucla.edu.