The exhibition, located in Hall A of the Convention Center in downcity Providence for the fourth consecutive year, is free and open to the public daily from 12-5 pm (12-8 pm on June 5, the day of RISD's Commencement), with a public opening reception on May 20 from 6-8 pm.

The work selected represents the culmination of each student's unique experience in RISD's diverse, dynamic and demanding graduate programs. As in previous years, the 28,000-square-foot space will be custom-constructed, with more than 1,500 linear feet of walls forming a network of smaller galleries. This arrangement provides students ample space, allowing each the opportunity to showcase multiple pieces from their individual thesis work - the manifestation of two or three years of research, experimentation, critical thinking and finely honed skills.

This year, to extend the viewing opportunities of the exhibition, RISD is offering a web-based gallery of audio, moving and still imagery of students' work on the recently launched graduate site FEED.RISD.EDU. The images and statements enable viewers to gain insight into the thought process behind each student's thesis work. The student portfolio section will go live on May 17 at GradExhibition2010.risd.edu

A selection of work by second-year graduate students will also be showing at Sol Koffler Graduate Student Gallery at 169 Weybosset Street. The installation will open on June 3 from 7-9PM and will remain on veiw trough June 5 from 12-8PM.

Graduate Studies at RISD includes 16 discipline-specific master's degree programs in three divisions: architecture, fine arts and design. Setting the standard for RISD's 1,900 undergraduates, approximately 400 graduate students are enrolled in individual programs that range in size from 7 to 98 students.

Graduate students come to RISD to be part of an extraordinary creative community and to connect with exceptional faculty, who are both dedicated teachers and leading artists and designers in their respective fields. They come to work in some of the best facilities and access some of the best resources in the country, to develop an individual vision and voice, and to create work that matters.

To complement studio majors, the divisions of Graduate Studies and Liberal Arts offer interdisciplinary seminars that enable students to explore the intersections between history, theory, research and contemporary culture. RISD's diverse graduate programs are further enriched by sponsored research and internships with partners in business and industry, and by the incomparable insights of countless visiting artists, scholars and guest critics who come to campus from throughout the world. The college's collaborative relationship with Brown University gives RISD students access to an even larger array of lectures, events and courses.

In short, graduate study at RISD is invigorating, challenging and demanding. It requires a deep commitment, the willingness to take risks and an openness to give and take. In return, students discover the lifelong rewards of belonging to a passionate creative community and of learning to articulate their vision with consummate power and grace. To learn more, visit the RISD Graduate Viewbook at http://www.risd.edu/graduate/

RISD's graduate programs were ranked #1 in the nation in the recent U.S. News and World Report's 2009 rankings of the best graduate schools for fine arts and design. The magazine collected data from more than 220 graduate programs to compile its findings.

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has earned a worldwide reputation as the preeminent art and design college in the country. Today, with more than 26,000 alumni, the college enrolls approximately 1,900 undergraduates and 400 graduate students from the United States and almost 50 countries, offering degree programs in the fine arts, architecture, and design disciplines, and art education. Academic programs include research and design initiatives, the exploration of art criticism and contemporary cultural concerns, as well as international exchange programs. Each year, RISD hosts prominent and accomplished artists, critics, and authors to its campus. Included within the college is The RISD Museum of Art, which houses a world-class collection of art objects from Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome and art of all periods from Asia, Europe and the Americas, as well as the latest in contemporary art. For more information, visit www.risd.edu or our.risd.edu. RISD's Annual Graduate Thesis Exhibition is generously supported by The Phoenix Media Group.