Mosaic of Becoming
 

Introduction taken from the exhibition guide produced by Arts Student Union Sabbatical Officers:
Arts Students’ Union is pleased to present Mosaic of Becoming a collaborative, student-led exhibition featuring international students and exploring how creative identities are shaped through cultural exchange, lived experience and the search for belonging within a global academic environment. Lead by Sabbatical Officers at ArtsSU and supported by the Arts Programme team, the project hopes to build a lasting framework for future student-led initiatives that support belonging, creative exchanges and collaborative learning across the University.  

Just as both individual and collective identities are made up of various narratives and experiences, Mosaic of Being showcases a multitude of insights into the experiences of international students as they refine their creative practice.
Featuring artists practicing in a range of mediums, the show was curated with such care and cohesion that you are able to get lost in each piece, whilst the exhibition as a whole invites you to become a part of its narrative. Giulia Brunfani’s video piece Briciole nel Vento (Breadcrumbs in the Wind) perfectly captured the dissonance of calling two different places home and the familiar and changing landscapes, using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to create dreamscape like imagery. Carmen Bunche’s film made use of abstracted archival videos to create an eerie exploration of media, history and which stories go untold. Standing in front of the two works I realised how much of my own experiences where being reflected to me through a new lens and wonder what I was projecting onto them. The pieces featured are made to be experienced, made to draw you in closer.

Whilst we all consume some form of art daily, the current economic climate can be challenging for emerging artists, in the hopes of alleviating some of the financial burden of affording materials, two artists were selected to receive a £250 Cass Art Materials Bursary to support their creative practice. Kavya Dhruva and Lituole (Lita) Wei were selected, and their pieces can be seen at the exhibition amongst 17 other brilliant artists. Dhruva and Lita’s pieces display vibrant use of colour and daring combination of techniques. Likewise, other artists such as Yedam Park and Nataliia Ryzhova incorporate light into their installations to transform space. The art on display is made to be experienced up close. Made to be felt.

We attended the private view last night to catch up with the artists, their inspirations and get a sneak peek at the exhibition which runs Friday 24th April - Friday 1st May 2026, 10am - 4pm, no booking necessary.

At the private view there was a great energy in the air as artists, friends, family and supporters flooded in. “It’s like the experiencing the world in a gallery space”, one guest remarked. And it was. The exhibition features international students at different stages of their career and academic journeys and the variation of their experiences really made for a beautiful collection of work. All telling their own story but when witnessed together, tell a new collective story. “Togetherness”, “unity”, “diversity” were running themes in the feedback throughout the private view. To quote Ziyu Qiu’s exhibited poem Learning to Eat, “I am not whole. I am not broken. I am the place where two worlds learn to eat together”. And Mosaic of Becoming is exactly that. The place where worlds of experience come together.
 

There is also a carefully curated events programme running alongside the event hosted by ArtsSU including a private tour from artists in residency at Bow Arts studios.

Location: Nunnery Gallery, 181 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ

Dates & times:

Opening Private View: Thursday 23rd April, 6pm - 8pm. RSVP and add your name to the guest list by booking a ticket. Some funds have been put behind the cafe counter to help kick off the celebrations!

Exhibition runs: Friday 24th April - Friday 1st May 2026, 10am - 4pm. No booking necessary.

Exhibition admission: Free, open to UAL students and the general public.

Events programme: Workshop 'Spaces of Reflection' (£6 for non UAL students) and 'Private Tour with Weekend Arts' (free) are also open to the general public, see the website link for more info.

Supported by Cass Art. Two exhibiting artists were selected to receive a £250 Cass Art Materials Bursary to support them in their creative practice.