Bowen Galleries

two hands hold a smartphone in front of a large-scale, blue-on-white mural of a QR code

Located inside the President’s House, Bowen Galleries consists of two unique experiences: Bowen Project Space, a blank canvas for presenting large-scale installations, and the more expansive Bowen Suite Gallery. These spaces call for guests to interact with the kinds of ambitious student work that emerges from RISD studios.

Bowen Project Space

Bowen Project Space offers a 20-foot blank canvas for selected students to present murals, digital prints and other large-scale installations. Centrally located within the house, the space invites transformation via installation and visitor engagement.

a student discusses a blue and white, large-scale QR code artwork to a gallery visitor

a blue and white QR code runs along a white hallway wall toward an open door leading toward a sunlit window

students use their phones to interact with a blue and white QR code mural printed on a white hallway wall

small QR codes visible inside larger blue and white QR code printed on a white hallway wall

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Current exhibition

QR Bulletin Board
installation by Min Hyuk Ji BArch 24

three small blue QR codes situated in the white spaces of a larger QR code

About the current show

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“Influenced by my architectural studies, I like to begin my process with a critical examination of space, which frequently serves as both the central subject and primary medium in my work. This exploration leads me to identify spatial constraints, where I delve into the frictions and capacities between various materials and mediums, often uncovering creative solutions.

My ideas often start as playful and seemingly absurd; yet upon deeper contemplation, they often reveal their potential for meaningful opportunities. I particularly enjoy this juxtaposition, balancing a whimsical attitude with the conceptual underpinnings of my project, creating works that are not only aesthetically engaging but also meaningful.”

— Min Hyuk Ji BArch 24

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“Transformation is defined as a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance. Ranging from the scientific to the spiritual realm, transformation can take on a myriad of forms and can have a different meaning for every individual.

QR Bulletin Board addresses the concept of transformation on multiple levels. Utilizing anamorphic projection, it transforms the viewing space from one that is too narrow for orthogonal viewing into a space where one can observe the piece from either end of the hallway, as well as up close.

By featuring a QR code, it transforms the viewing experience from physical to digital in nature. The mural itself transforms as you get closer to it—from afar it is clearly a singular large-scale QR code, but as the viewer approaches the wall it transforms into an array of small QR codes amidst large-scale abstract forms.

Finally, by utilizing a QR code that leads to the work of all RISD students, it transforms a solo exhibition into a democratized, all-inclusive retrospective of the work of the entire student body. This large-scale wall mural pushes the boundaries of artistic expression through its use of technology, which is something we are constantly exploring at Calico Wallpaper.”

— Rachel Cope 03 SC (guest curator and creative director/founder of Calico Wallpaper)

Bowen Suite Gallery

The Bowen Suite Gallery provides students with the opportunity to share their work with visitors through invitation-only events. Exhibitions change annually.

Current exhibition

Intimate Oppositions
student-curated exhibition
on view through April 2025

detail of a tapestry adorned with golden fiber tassels

About the current show

Curated by students in the Critical Curatorial Studies course, this site-specific exhibition explores the divergent narratives that emerge when artists consider the idea of home, creating a dialogue that represents RISD’s diverse student body.