"Meanwhile" exhibition at Galleria Valentina Bonomo
On October 8, 2026, contemporary art gallery Galleria Valentina Bonomo in Rome hosted Meanwhile, an exhibition featuring works by 10 JCU students from the Department of Art and Design, developed during the Fall 2026 semester. Working across drawing, sculpture, installation, and moving images, students explored contemporary themes and ideas through research, experimentation, and material investigation.
Meanwhile offered students the opportunity to present their work beyond the classroom and engage with a wider audience in a professional gallery setting. The exhibition highlighted the diverse approaches students can take when investigating contemporary art and design.
What They Never Said
Student Caralyn Whalen exhibited her work, What They Never Said, developed during the Video Art course.
Her project began with an idea called Human Library, a collection of video portraits featuring different people. Initially, Caralyn planned to display the videos alongside quotes about something each person regretted or wished they had said. However, as the project developed, she reconsidered this approach “I realized that keeping the words anonymous would make them more relatable.”
What They Never Said by Caralyn Whalen
After experimenting with different formats, Caralyn chose to scatter the quotes across the floor, with a few displayed on the wall. “I decided that the words needed to exist physically within the gallery rather than solely on a screen.”
The installation also featured close-ups of Caralyn herself and an off-center composition that created a sense of unease. Caralyn explained the meaning behind the installation: “I wanted to communicate that time continues to pass whether we choose to speak or remain silent, and that the things left unsaid can follow us long after a moment has passed.”
Caralyn described the experience of preparing for an exhibition as “eye-opening.” “It was my first time exhibiting in a gallery, and sharing something so personal made me feel exposed and vulnerable,” she said. “It was meaningful to see an idea from my mind become something others could experience.”
The lesson for Caralyn was that the creative process does not always follow a predetermined path. “My concept changed as I gathered quotes, experimented with different formats, and responded to the gallery environment. Ultimately, the experience showed me that one of the most meaningful parts of creating art is allowing an idea to evolve and discover what it can become.”
Stasa Vuksanovic's Creative Process
Another student exhibiting her work at Galleria Valentina Bonomo was Stasa Vuksanovic. Her creative process was inspired by the often-overlooked realities of food delivery workers. “I began questioning who brings food to our table and how easily their labor is taken for granted,” Stasa said.
One experience prompted her research: “While working at the JCU student residence during heavy rain, I saw a delivery driver bringing food to a student who remained warm and dry. This contrast prompted me to investigate riders’ working conditions, including low pay, long hours, and their fight for better rights. I wanted people to consider the weight delivery workers carry, both physically and emotionally, and how easily we overlook it.”
To translate this idea into an audiovisual installation, Stasa used a bicycle, a delivery bag, and rocks to represent the delivery drivers’ burden. She also focused on social media representations of delivery work: “I compiled TikTok videos portraying the job as fun and carefree, although the reality is very different.” She placed a screen inside the delivery bag alongside the rocks, creating a contrast between this idealized image and the realities of the job.
"Visiting Galleria Valentina Bonomo helped me understand how the scale of the space would affect the installation,” Stasa said. Preparing the exhibition highlighted the importance of experimentation, adapting to the space, and remaining open to change.
