Experience VCUarts’ latest exhibition

Encounter the obscure + challenge the mundane at this boundary-pushing exhibit.

Two people work together with a printed art project.

View works created across six VCUarts departments. | Aya Khalife, Buried in Pixels, 2024-2025, in progress installation view, 2025 VCUarts MFA Thesis Exhibition. (artwork © Aya Khalife; photograph by Ella Lowrey)

More than 25 artists and designers. Two years of intensive research and work. One immersive, boundary-pushing exhibit.

The VCUarts MFA Thesis Exhibition is now on view at the Institute of Contemporary Art and The Anderson. It’s dynamic, cutting-edge, and delightfully perplexing — and we highly recommend you make the trip.

Whether you’re a finely-tuned art connoisseur or simply appreciate conversation about the human experience, you’re sure to find something that piques your interest.

A painting from the MFA thesis exhibit depicting a bay and two cat with text reading, "emotional state shifter."

The exhibit spans three floors at the ICA. | Alex K. Bacon, Timeout, 2025, in progress installation view, 2025 VCUarts MFA Thesis Exhibition. (artwork © Alex K. Bacon; photograph by Ella Lowrey)

We visited the ICA on West Broad Street — RVA’s most space-station-like building — to get a firsthand look. One tip we’ll give you: not every HVAC system is what it seems.

Expect the unexpected

A few things you may encounter:

  • Experiments with sound, tech, texture, video, and more
  • Stacks of money — whether real or not is for you to find out
  • A computer room scene channeling the nostalgia of the early 2000s
  • A lengthy car manual that’s not what it seems
  • Interactive virtual reality — a coveted opportunity to actually touch the art (and even become a part of it)

...and we’ve barely scratched the surface. Head to the ICA or The Anderson now through Sunday, May 11, to see the exhibit for yourself, totally free.

A wooden grid-like sculpture emerges from a skylight window.

Art can be found from the floor to the ceiling — even around benches in the lobby. |
August Neuscheler, Scaled Sherd, 2025, in progress installation view, 2025 VCUarts MFA Thesis Exhibition. (artwork © August Neuscheler; photograph by Ella Lowrey)

ICA, 601 W. Broad St.
Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Anderson, 907 1/2 W. Franklin St.
Tuesday-Friday, 12-6 p.m. and Saturday, 12-5 p.m.

More from RICtoday
Where were you when the blizzard hit?
This prismatic phenomenon has captivated curiosity in Virginia Beach, but you might be able to find the mystical occurrence closer to home.
Whether you’re sober, trying out Dry January, or just want more options for delicious drinks, here are several local menus with robust NA options.
Bookmark this page to your favorites tab so you can quickly return and find the top events happening each month in Richmond.
Try out these new places and see what to look forward to in the River City’s restaurant scene.
Over the past few days, Gilpin Court has made headlines with two new community-shaping developments.
Let us know what River City news we should cover in 2026.
The Virginia Museum of History and Culture will host a screening of “National Treasure” with live commentary from studious staff.
Just over one year after a fire caused the beloved local bakery to close, Sub Rosa is ready to open its doors once again.
These gifts are way better than a Jelly of the Month Club membership.