Volume 31 Issue 1: The Stars Come Out at NIght

VISUAL OPINION VOLUME 31 ISSUE 1

THE STARS COME OUT AT NIGHT

VICTORIA ESTRADA Mermaid Digital Collage BFA Illustration 2026

EDITOR’S NOTE

From a technical point of view, black and white are not colors but rather nuances. However, depending on the discipline, they may or may not be considered colors. In Antiquity, Aristotle asserted that there were two fundamental colors: black and white. Between these extremes, yellow, orange, violet, green, and blue were found, resulting from the different mixtures of light (white) and obscurity (black). Eventually, in the 17th century, Newton established the theory of colors, leading to the exclusion of black and white from the visible spectrum.

In this first Visual Opinion issue of the year, we aim to explore these nuances and highlight artists who seek to experiment with the power of monochrome.

Color is often the most striking characteristic, the one that catches the viewer’s attention. However, once removed, we are compelled to reflect on other compositional elements, such as texture, tonality, and light.

In these pages, where color is limited, we invite you to linger over the interplay of light and shadow, the variations in texture and the infinite shades of gray that emerge between absolute black and brilliant white.

TITLE HOÀI

01 VICTORIA ESTRADA

04 MINXUAN HE

- OLYMPE GAUTIER 14 YAAN ZHANG OLYMPE GAUTIER Editor in Chief

ANGEL YE

Managing Editor

NICOLE HSU Design Editor

NANDINIE ANDLAY

16 XINYA (EMILY) WANG

Editor in Chief Intern

ELISABED DUSHUASHVILI Managing Editor Intern

VO TEAM

BROOKS ORICH

Design Editor Intern

MARIA ROVIRA-MCCUNE Staff Advisor

17 MAHIRA

CONTRIBUTORS 06 MAX FOUKE

07 HOÀI

08 SADIE WITHERS

09 ADEN HARDIN

11 MIKA LIANG

12 JOEL RODRIGUEZ OTERO 10 ALEXIA HAICK 18 MELIS YANAR

20 CLAUDIA SHI

19 EMMA HOPPER

21 MATIAS GRIMOLDI CALO

MINXUAN HE Lost & Found Digital Scan BFA Photography and Video 2027 04

MAX FOUKE Horsin’ Around Ink on Paper BFA Comics 2027 06

Ode to the Night: To the absence of light Gone is the comforting warmth of the all-encompassing Muted sights and fences of mystery To the other half of day A different reality completely.

The night where the absence of light reveals too much of the truth People come alive Shed their person suit Follow the human instinct discover things they can only see in the dark.

Secrets exchanged through whispers, held in pillows, under bedsheets Sex with people you shouldn’t be fucking Sex with friends Sex with enemies Sex with yourself The night when streets aren’t bustling with noise The night when nocturnals come out to play The night where I come alive.

The stars come out at night.

Hoài HOÀI Ode to the Night Poetry BFA Fine Arts 2025

07

SADIE WITHERS Breakfast at Tiffany’s Oil on Canvas BFA Fine Arts 2025

08

ADEN HARDIN What you can do for your country Graphite on Paper BFA Fine Arts 2025

09

ALEXIA HAICK Dear Mom #2 Photography BFA Photography and Video 2025

10

MIKA LIANG Mixed media observational drawing Ballpoint pen, Cling wrap, Baking Paper, Acrylic Paint on Paper BFA Illustration 2026

11

JOEL RODRIGUEZ OTERO Mondays Ballpoint Pen on Paper BFA Illustration 2027 13

YAAN ZHANG Untitled #1 Giclée Print BFA Photography and Video 2027

14

Untitled #2

15

XINYA (EMILY) WANG Ceiling Fan Charcoal on Paper BFA Illustration 2027

16

MAHIRA Living’s Not Ordinary Photograph, Digital BFA Design 2027

17

MELIS YANAR Chaos Graphite Pencil BFA Illustration 2028

18

EMMA HOPPER Pair of Kings Film Photography MAT Art Education 2026

Thriving Intuition, digital art and still pictures of a project inspired by the artist’s music, Claudia Shi

CLAUDIA SHI

Thriving Intuition

MFA Fine Arts 2026

20

MATIAS GRIMOLDI CALO Oedipus and the Sphinx Digital BFA Illustration 2025

21

VOLUME 31 ISSUE 1