The word “academy” often elicits an antiquated institution: rigidly conservative and ossified in tradition, concerned with distinguishing the “fine arts” from the arts of “craft” or “trade.” While this notion may have been true for hundreds of years in the history of art, this exhibition seeks to revisit our perception of the academy. Here, the academy is understood as an organized institution that fosters the individual and professional growth of artists through instruction, critique, theoretical debate, mentorship, intellectual stimulation, and an emphasis on individual interest, ideas, and creative freedom. Thus, the academy becomes a fluid concept – introducing the idea of a heterogeneous and evolutionary “academic style” that varies depending on time, place, institution, teacher, and student.

The WAH Center presents “THE NEW ACADEMY: WAH BRIDGES STUDENT ARTISTS” – a multi-media group art exhibition dedicated to presenting the work of students pursuing their BFA or MFA degrees at New York City art schools – the ultimate “post-academy” academies. Based on the Bridge Concept envisioned by WAH Center Founder & Artistic Director, Yuko Nii, the aim is to create a bridge between the WAH Center’s historical landmark building and a new generation of outstanding young artists, as well as a bridge between academic styles, understood in this context as a temporal artistic style that describes the work of a student.