“SVA + NASA: The Artemis II / Earthrise Poster Project” Saturday, September 6 – Saturday, September 20, 2025 Reception: Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 6:00pm SVA Gramercy Gallery, 209 SVA Way (E 23rd St), New York City |
| August 13, 2025—New York, NY—School of Visual Arts (SVA), in collaboration with the NASA Office of STEM Engagement at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, will present “SVA + NASA: The Artemis II / Earthrise Poster Project,” an exhibition of posters created by students in the BFA Illustration and BFA Design programs. For the Artemis II mission, four astronauts will venture around the Moon on the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the moon, paving the way for future crewed Mars exploration. The two dozen posters that creatively interpret and communicate the mission’s goals and values will be on view at the SVA Gramercy Gallery, 209 SVA Way (E 23rd St.), New York City, September 6, through September 20, 2025. “At SVA, we believe that creativity is essential to exploration, and we’re thrilled to partner with NASA on a project that brings together the power of art and the wonder of science,” said Angie Wojak, Executive Director of SVA External Relations. “This collaboration allows our students to engage with real-world challenges and communicate big ideas about Earth, space, and our collective future through the lens of art and design, and share their vision with the world.” The concept of “Earthrise”—coined as a result of astronaut Bill Anders’ iconic 1968 photograph showing Earth rising over the Moon’s horizon—served as a powerful symbol of shifting perspective about humanity’s place in the universe. Anders said of the photo, “We came all this way to explore the Moon, and the most important thing we discovered was the Earth.” With this in mind, and in honor of Artemis II, NASA’s mission scheduled for spring 2026, the posters in this exhibition reflect on humanity’s relationship with Earth and space, exploring themes of exploration, climate, earth science, and scientific discovery. Offering students a valuable, real-world opportunity to collaborate with a visionary partner beyond the classroom, the project yielded a selection of 24 posters (12 from each department) that represent a range of artistic styles, from digital drawing and collage, to illustration and typography. Through close engagement with NASA educators, scientists, and astronauts, students participated in a professional design process, responding to a creative brief. In doing so, they wove their visual storytelling skills into the larger narratives of Earth science, space exploration, and the critical role of scientific innovation in addressing global challenges. NASA’s Earth to Action strategy served as a conceptual cornerstone, connecting the mission’s goals to broader themes of environmental stewardship and sustainable exploration. The final works were chosen by a jury of special guests including SVA MPS Branding chair Debbie Millman; Angelina Lippert, Director of Poster House in New York City; Matthew Pearce, Lead for NASA Office of STEM Engagement at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies; Allegra LeGrande, Climate Scientist at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies; Megan McArthur, NASA Astronaut; and other SVA staff. SVA’s BFA Illustration students challenge the boundaries of image-making, storytelling, critical thinking, and composing the ways people experience the world through print, web, and screen. Based on a dynamic teaching plan that revolves around core classes, such as Pictorial Projects for third-year students and the Senior Thesis, as well as an extensive suite of relevant electives, students develop effective bodies of work, connecting their passion for image-making to industries that will embrace them. Assignments are approached by first developing effective ideas and expertly executing them into images reflecting one’s unique visual voice. In this ever-evolving industry, the program’s curriculum allows students to follow an individual artistic direction by offering solid drawing and painting fundamentals combined with state-of-the-art digital tools. The award-winning BFA Design program at SVA consistently yields some of the most innovative, trendsetting, and acclaimed visual communicators in the industry. Students push the limits of inspiration armed with conceptual finesse and ahead-of-the-curve access to exciting new tools and emerging technologies, resulting in diverse, cutting-edge, and unprecedented creative solutions. By offering more studio courses than any institution in the world, a digital fabrication space, and an AR/VR experimentation lab, BFA Design produces interdisciplinary problem-solvers who excel in an unlimited landscape of career opportunities as they dare to design the future. Prominently located on the ground floor of the College’s historic 209 East 23rd Street building, the SVA Gramercy Gallery is SVA’s longest-running exhibition space. It is open Monday through Saturday, 10:00am to 6:00pm and is accessible by wheelchair. School of Visual Arts has been a leader in the education of artists, designers and creative professionals for seven decades. With a faculty of distinguished working professionals, a dynamic curriculum and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. Comprising 6,000 students at its Manhattan campus and over 43,000 alumni from some 130 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world. For information about the College’s 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, visit sva.edu. |