February 9 – March 27, 2026

The Sideshow, Lory Student Center

Co-Curated by Miles Emiliano Buchan and Kaira Clarke

Featuring works by Sylvia R. Baughman, Adele Barrett, Eliana Brown, Katie Brotherton, Sophie Bye, Keegan Casey, Corah Clemmer, Emily Congdon, Emily Grove, Morgan Hennings, Kai Johnson, Sarah Moore, Tula Ortiz, Guillermo Castro Talavera, Lia Walker, and Ian Zaccaro.

During the 19th century, Emperor Napoleon III and the state of France dominated art, controlling what was fit for Salon exhibitions. In 1863, thousands of artworks were rejected by the official salon jury, choosing only the art that satisfied expectations of the Academy and state. The mass rejection sparked public outrage and led Emperor Napoleon III to authorize a separate exhibition so visitors could judge the rejected works for themselves. This became the precedent for the Salon des Refusés, exhibition theme, marking a radical shift in which artists began to challenge academic standards and introduce new ways of seeing, painting, and representing modern life. Curated from the “rejected” works submitted to the 2025 Annual Student Art Exhibition in the Curfman Gallery, this exhibition aims to showcase more works created by the talented artists of CSU and act as a continuation of a historically significant exhibition practice.