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William Johnston Building Gallery

About WJB Gallery

The WJB Gallery is a student-forward space that hosts exhibitions of student artwork and student-led curatorial projects. Prominently located in the William Johnston Building (WJB), this 1100-square-foot exhibition space connects exemplary creative endeavors with visitors of one of the busiest places on campus. The 24 x 46-foot glass-walled gallery stretches the length of the central five-story atrium in the building, providing rich natural lighting and secure but vivid public exposure for exhibitions.

The WJB Gallery is a collaboration of the departments of the College of Fine Arts: Art, Art Education, Art History, Interior Architecture & Design, Dance, Theatre, and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Exhibitions

On View
Woven Together: Funerary Textiles from the Ancient Andean Coast
The Department of Art History at Florida State University presents Woven Together: Funerary Textiles from the Ancient Andean Coast. This exhibit opens April 3 in the WJB Gallery and gathers twenty textile objects from Florida State University’s Carter Collection. Developed by undergraduate students of Dr. Brendan Weaver’s Museum Object course (ARH3854), Woven Together showcases twenty pieces from a variety of ancient Andean cultures today located in coastal Peru. FSU’s John and Mary Carter Collection of Pre-Columbian Peruvian Textiles was donated to the university in 1944 and has rarely been shown since.
 
Vibrant colors and lively images of animals, plants, and anthropomorphic beings, alongside geometric motifs, embellish the textiles of Woven Together. For six millennia, the peoples of the South American Andes and Pacific Coast have cultivated a rich and diverse tradition in textile arts. Woven Together exhibits pieces from groups such as the Wari, Nasca, and Paracas cultures, dating from 800 BCE to around the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in 1532 CE. Weaving remains integral to life in this region, and Woven Together offers an opportunity to view Andean textiles produced between the ninth century BCE and the early sixteenth century CE.
 
Peru’s arid Pacific coast supported the preservation of cotton and camelid fiber textiles; the pieces of Woven Together were originally part of funerary bundles wrapped around the mummified deceased. Adorned with cosmologically potent motifs, these textiles accompanied the dead as they became animated ancestors of living communities.
 
There will be an opening reception in the WJB Gallery from 4:30-6:30 on April 3. The WJB Gallery is located on the second floor of the William Johnston Building. Woven Together runs through August 5, 2025, and is free and open to the public.
 
 
Past
XGD Experiential Graphic Design

This exhibition highlights students’ creative endeavors, featuring design projects that illustrate experience design through elements of branding, EGD, wayfinding, and signage. The showcase is a curated excerpt of student work emphasizing innovative designs and concepts, reflecting their skills and understanding of visual communication and environmental graphics. Through this display, visitors can appreciate the many pproaches and methodologies employed by the students in their respective fields, emphasizing the importance of effective branding and navigational elements in enhancing user experience. As you explore the exhibition, take note of the various aspects of Experiential Graphic Design (EGD) present across the different design sectors, and observe the distinct ways in which these elements are implemented.

Guidelines and Resources

Faculty, staff, and students of the College of Fine Arts are invited to submit exhibition proposals for review by the WJB Gallery Committee. Students submitting proposals must collaborate with a supervising faculty or staff member who agrees to oversee and assist throughout the process. Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult their department representative on the committee for guidance while planning their exhibition. The WJB Gallery Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving proposals, scheduling exhibitions, providing a modest budget for supplemental equipment or materials, and supervising a team who can assist with installation, marketing, and other support tasks.

For more information about the WJB Gallery, including its layout, explore the blueprint and 3-D model.

Now accepting proposals for Summer and Fall 2025 exhibitions!

Submission Deadline: January 10, 2025

Submit a proposal

WJB Gallery Committee Members

Kevin Curry – Art
Jean Hudson – Art History
Ann Rowson – Art Education
Sarah Fahmy – Theatre 
Luis Castaneda – Interior Design and Architecture