International Recognition: Art department faculty co-create award-winning work
Monday, December 11, 2023
Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu
Oklahoma State University’s Department of Art, Graphic Design and Art History faculty members, Nick Mendoza and Pouya Jahanshahi, recently won the “Cultural” category at the Intercontinental Bienal Awards for their poster design.
The competition received 19,543 submissions from 17,125 artists ranging from package
design to sculpture to painting. The rigorous selection process evaluated the works
and eventually shortlisted 45 finalists for each award. In the end, the professors'
poster — designed to promote Steven McCarthy's guest lecture at OSU earlier this year
— was among the 15 pieces across all categories chosen for recognition.
“This holds special significance," Mendoza said. "It represents not only the excellence
and uniqueness of our artistic expression but also placed us among a select group
of international artists celebrated by the jury.”
“It was a sweet surprise,” Jahanshahi added. “It is an honor to be chosen as the best in a category among many entries from across the globe.”
The OSU faculty members stated how this reinforces Oklahoma State’s reputation, the department's commitment to fostering artistic excellence and the quality of education and mentorship provided to students.
“Our students will benefit from an increased sense of pride in their faculty and exposure to the realm of international graphic design scholarships that will inspire them to set their aims higher,” Jahanshahi said.
Altogether, this recognition opens doors to a broader audience and fosters cultural exchange on a global scale.
“This achievement serves as a powerful motivator for our students, illustrating that their graphic design endeavors can have a meaningful impact on the international stage,” Mendoza said.
The Intercontinental Bienal awards ceremony took place Dec. 7 at the National Museum of Columbia in Bogotá. The exhibition will travel across South America from Colombia to Argentina to Brazil. Future exhibitions are planned for Europe and Asia.
To learn more about the Intercontinental Bienal Awards, visit the competition website.
Story By: Adeola Favour, CAS graduate assistant | fadeola@okstate.edu