Eight students from this year’s Duke Arts Studio cohort will share their original work at a public showcase on April 16 featuring live demonstrations, readings, film screenings, and visual art exhibitions. The Duke Arts Studio mentorship program pairs undergraduates with industry professionals, supporting the development of creative projects across writing, filming, sculpting, styling, and more.
Get a sneak peek below at some of the projects developed this year in Duke Arts Studio.
Join us for the Duke Arts Studio 2025–26 Final Presentation at The Fruit on Thursday, April 16, at 7 PM. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts will be served following the presentation.
Mentored by Mingyoung Suh
Beyond Aesthetic: The Art of Wearable Technology explores the intersection of design, fashion, and digital innovation, reimagining how technology can be seamlessly integrated into personal style. This project investigates NFC-enabled accessories, such as bracelets and necklaces, that merge functionality and aesthetics into versatile fashion items.
Mentored by Daniel Karslake, T’87
An Act of Kindness is a short documentary film exploring how Gladys Siegel, matriarch of the Beth El Synagogue, lived out the last days of her life in peace, never knowing her son Keith was captured a hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7. When those around her reeled with the news that Keith was held in captivity, Gladys was spared the heartbreak.
Mentored by Justin Cook
The Quiet Light is an experimental installation and video exhibition exploring how stillness reshapes perception and produces spaces of attention. Bringing together Posture of Stillness and an experimental video essay filmed at Dhammikarama Temple, the exhibition investigates how sacred environments emerge through duration, repetition, and quiet bodily presence rather than explicit religious representation.
Mentored by Meg Stein
After the Fire: Form is a sculptural exploration of destruction and regeneration. The project was sparked by my experience of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire that engulfed my family farm and over 100,000 acres of nearby forest and farmland in Northern California. The sculptures will incorporate charred wood, ash, and soil as well as living seeds, which will grow and transform as they are watered (by me and by viewers), symbolizing resilience and the creative transformation of land and community.
Mentored by Milagros de Souza, T’21
The Collective: Born Again on the Runway is an immersive fashion experience that reimagines what fashion at Duke can look like. The show unfolds in two parts; first, a showcase of student and local designers’ original collections, and second, a darker, movement-focused section highlighting student-curated looks that explore individuality and identity.
This year’s Duke Arts Studio cohort includes eight students developing projects in sculpture, writing, documentary, fashion design, and art technology. Each student is paired with professional artist who supports them as a mentor.
Join Duke Arts at The Fruit in downtown Durham for a showcase of student creative work from Duke Arts Studio, featuring live performances, screenings, readings, and exhibitions.
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