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SFU Contemporary Arts invites the public to Sounds from the Floor Above, an exhibition of work by 18 fourth-year students in the visual arts program, from April 9-26, 2009 at 611 Alexander St. in Vancouver's Gastown neighborhood.

Student organizers Laurel Richardson and Vanessa Andres note that this year's theme was inspired by the close working conditions of the student artists. Says Richardson: "Our studio space is unique: its open-concept design doesn't allow complete solitude so that we quickly learn how to work within a small art community. For better or worse, we've learned how to function as a group, how to share space and how to be constructively critical of each other."

As well, says Richardson, most of this year's graduating students have another minor or even a second degree in subjects ranging from molecular biology and psychology to film and dance.  Their art practice absorbs and melds these disparate influences and the result of this cross-pollination can be seen in the graduating show.

"We have everything from a monumental plaster death mask to self-model silicone dolls and a chapter by economist Milton Friedman carved into repurposed cardboard," notes Andres. "These things may at first seem wildly different, but living and working in such close proximity to each other means that one person's work exerts a natural influence over another's."

The exhibition opens April 9 at 7 p.m.; the gallery is open April 10-26 from noon to 6 p.m.

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