Foundation Drawing: The Legacy of John Wilson, Reception

Join BU College of Fine Arts School of Visual Arts for a reception celebrating the exhibition Foundation Drawing: The Legacy of John Wilson in the Commonwealth Gallery. This exhibition marks the culmination of SVA’s collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in conjunction with their exhibition Witnessing Humanity: The Art of John Wilson, on view through June 22, 2025 — a career retrospective of the late Boston University professor John Wilson.

Born in Roxbury, MA, Wilson was a distinguished member of the Boston University School of Visual Arts faculty for more than 20 years (1964–1986). He primarily taught undergraduate drawing, including the foundational core courses, Basic Drawing and Advanced Drawing, which remain an essential part of SVA’s curriculum and are required for all first-year students.

Students in SVA’s current first-year drawing classes were invited to visit the MFA Boston to experience Wilson’s work firsthand. His art confronts the African American experience, racial prejudice, and social injustice — themes that remain powerfully relevant today. In response, students created their own works, which will be on display in the Commonwealth Gallery at CFA from March 17 through April 18.