Student: Andrew Hock, majoring in Finance, class of '26

Title of work: The Ethical Compass
Medium: Interactive digital sculpture (image created using AI)

Description: A large, central sculpture surrounded by screens that display various ethical dilemmas related to technology use (e.g., AI in decision-making, privacy vs. security). Participants can vote on these issues using their smartphones, and the sculpture changes colors and patterns based on the collective ethical choices made by the audience. This work prompts reflection on how technology shapes our moral landscape and encourages dialogue on steering its development ethically.

Excerpt from artist statement:

“Having been at the forefront of artificial intelligence development as an executive at a leading AI company, I witnessed firsthand the unimaginable impact and potential of this technology on the daily lives of billions of people. Being so immersed at the forefront of the technology industry, I was aware of the ever-increasing hold of technology on our society and human interaction. Combined with the overlooked aspect of AI development, the inherent biases in the data being used in development, and the increasingly relevant question of how humanity fits in a world becoming evermore dominated and consumed by technology and virtual worlds, I shifted my focus toward art…”

Student: Ceci Mestre, majoring in American Studies, class of '26

Title of work: Untitled
Medium: Curved mirrors, Lincoln Memorial

Description (Excerpt):

I thought it would be cool to put mirrors around the space to create a kind of dizzying effect so that people can see themselves literally reflected. The mirrors are also meant to place a different mirror up to history and see if we can find anything new…but the size and number of mirrors are supposed to show how that process can be overwhelming…You’re also now seeing parts of Lincoln that weren’t visible from the typical angles—his back, his head. I played around with what the shape and size of the mirrors should be, and ultimately, I think my favorite is this one with the distorted mirrors because I think it has a kind of fun house effect.

Artist Bio (Excerpt):

My artist is a woman who was born in 1987, raised around DC, and went on a lot of field trips to the National Mall. She went to UVA where she majored in American Studies and Studio Art and minored in Southern Studies. She then went on to get her MFA at Columbia and worked mostly in sculpture. In 2020 with conversations around…Confederate statues (being taken down) and how to memorialize the past, she shifted the focus of her works to engage more with…the difficulty of studying and remembering history.

Student: Luke Durkin, majoring in Government, class of '26

Title of work: Harmony in the Hive
Medium: AI generated painting

Description (Excerpt):

“Harmony in the Hive” portrays the corporate world as a structured beehive, with individuals working in their respective cells for the betterment of the community. The image strives to emphasize the impersonal nature of the corporate world and moments of human connection. Set in an open-plan office, the piece showcases workers gathering, working collaboratively for the betterment of the ‘hive,’ which is displayed in the center. Its busy nature emphasizes the reality of the workplace, where oftentimes people do not really know what is going on in entirety but rather only focus on their specific tasks.

Artist Bio (Excerpt):

My pieces challenge and redefine the often daunting perceptions of corporate America. By portraying the Kafkaesque realities of the corporate world—where individuals might feel anonymous and their work meaningless—the art encourages viewers to hear the ‘music’ of life amidst the ‘noise’ of corporate rigidity and anonymity. In this sense, I hope viewers take a newfound perspective towards the workplace, one that is rejuvenated and reminds them of their humanness, a notion that people must remember not to feel lost.