From the numerous statues to the historical architecture found in various buildings, artwork is found all over the ISU campus. Exhibitions, such as an upcoming photography showcase, show off art created by students.

The photography exhibition and installation focuses on the theme “Graduation,” and it will start with an opening ceremony at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Gallery 181 at the College of Design. The artwork will be on display through Wednesday.

A nonprofit student group will host the exhibit. They are simply “doing this for fun,” said Guojun Lian, the project’s creative director and active artist featured in the exhibit.

Lian, senior in interior design, began directing photography exhibitions three years ago, with this exhibition being his third.

“It is a really interesting way to learn,” he said. “I enjoy the challenges of working with groups of people. It requires a lot of effort, networking and passion.”

Lian will oversee a student-organized team of 20 student participants. There are two unofficial faculty advisers who have volunteered to be involved as well.

“I’m really happy to find out that I am so passionate about doing something I love,” Lian said. “What is even more exciting is that there are so many other students who are willing to work with me, as a collaborative team.”

According to the project’s proposal, “The exhibition is focusing on people, trying to discover what they have experienced during their time at ISU, what they have gained and lost, what they really want to be and so on.”

All of the photos in the gallery are selected from entries received through a public call for entries, announced via posters, Facebook and newsletters.

“Most of the project team members are students in the ISU College of Design, majoring in various programs of study,” Lian said. “One of the exciting aspects of this project for us is that it will provide an opportunity to join forces, merge our distinct skills and talents and get involved in every step of the project concept and final design. Working on a large-scale project like this is a great opportunity that we don’t typically get in our classroom projects.”

Other concepts will be brought into the exhibition as well, such as a video about school life and the process of making the installation that will be shown during the exhibition.

“This photography exhibition will not be limited to a display of photographs. It will be a multimedia show that will create a sensory experience for audiences. This will be achieved by thinking more critically of a space within a larger framework,” according to the proposal.

The team is also focusing on staying “green” and trying to recycle materials.

“I think the exhibition sounds like an awesome idea that will really showcase how talented ISU students are,” said Kylie Vetter, sophomore in elementary education. “I especially like how they are trying to stay green with the showcase.”

The second phase of the project will include an exhibition of the Gallery 181 that will happen in the Memorial Union as part of display of FOCUS-funded projects.