For more than five decades, Carnegie Mellon University’s student-run Frame Gallery on Forbes Avenue has been a fixture for experimental art and creative risk-taking. Now, carrying that legacy forward are co-directors Annika Kuhl and Nyx Polak, the latter of whom was part of the artist collective behind one of last season’s standout exhibitions, “Amnion,” an immersive installation blending projection, sound design, and live performance. That same spirit and ambition will define the 2026–27 lineup, launching October 2 with a solo exhibition by senior Bee Appelbaum-Schwartz. Below, get to know the student artists behind the gallery as they share current obessions, dream exhibitions, and what’s next for the Frame.
What are you exploring right now in your artistic practice?
Nyx Polak (BFA ’28), Co-director: I have recently gained interest in exploring sound as the “language before civilisation” and how it is a vessel for cultural development, expression, and communication; even between different species.
Annika Kuhl (BHA ’29), Co-director: Recently I’ve been drawing more minimalist landscapes and paying attention to patterns. I’m transferring these sensibilities to my metal practice, and I’ve just started weaving!
Henry Wang (BFA ’29), PR Manager: I’m exploring a lot about the unknown fallacies of human behaviour and how we interact with each-other.
Adele Erickson (BESA ’29), Financial Manager: I am exploring irony and comparison with diptychs to examine feminism through portraiture. I am looking at complimenting my figures with different images and text to provide more context for the women I paint.
Sarah Su (BFA ’28), Archivist: I work in multimedia art, focusing on painting, video art, photography and ceramics. I’m interested in combining these different mediums together and creating something new.
Kai Barrett (BFA ’29), Gallery Attendant: I am currently interested in unpacking and critiquing how I see myself and position myself in my community. With being aware that I am socialized to want or expect certain things out of life, I find myself wanting to really narrow down what are truly my values, wants, and observations. The mediums that I want to explore this are all over the place, but recently I have been finding my way back to drawing, which has been fun.
Antonia Casucci (BFA ’29), Gallery Attendant: In my practice I’ve been thinking a lot about the ethics of killing rats and what I can do with my own hair.
Andrea Itzel Maldonado (BFA ’30), Gallery Attendant: In my current artistic practice I am exploring my identity as a Mexican American coming from a hometown along the us mexico border in Pittsburgh. What it means to be from neither here nor there, and how I’ve adjusted to once again returning to being the minority in a city rather than a majority.
What’s on repeat in your playlist?
Nyx: CSIRAC by Ninajirachi
Andrea: Institutionalized by Kendrick Lamar
Antonia: Romeo by Basement Jaxx
Henry: 478 freestyle by Dean Blunt
Annika: White Gum by Iglooghost
Kai: So Be It by Solange
Sarah: Reel Jiggy by Peter Power
Adele: Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits
If you could invite any artist from any time period to have a solo show at the Frame, who would it be and why?
Sarah: Jack Pierson. His photographs are beautiful, i love how his personal life is shown through his works. I also love his installations and how they tell a story within everyday objects and settings.
Kai: My favorite contemporary artist is Oscar Yi Hou. I love how vibrant his work is, how he captures his friends and family, and how that all ties into himself and his practice. I think his work encapsulates the community and variety that the Frame offers, so it would be great to see how his work would translate in the space.
Henry: David Hockney purely because I would like to meet him.
Adele: Munch, because not only am I obsessed with his paintings, but he has a lot of personal drama that he explores in his work and I need to know all the gossip involved. His ex literally shot him, I want to hear about that! Plus he’s a hottie.
Antonia: Phoebe Anna Traquair because I love her tapestries and I want to learn how to embroider from a master.
Nyx: Zimoun. He is a Swiss sonic sculptor who transforms space into minimalist soundscapes. I believe CMU could benefit from exposure to big installation and sound work that can play with perception of time and space.
Annika: I’d be interested to hear from Hannah Wilke directly as an artist who has been so frequently misrepresented. Or Zilia Sánchez because her work makes me cry.
Andrea: Either Frida Kahlo or Jamie Hewlett. I feel it could be refreshing to showcase stylized cartoony illustrated works that we don’t see too often here at the school.
What are you excited for at the gallery this year?
Annika: I always love going to shows at The Frame regardless of medium, but I’m particularly excited to see what kinds of experimental and performance-based events get proposed. There’s always a lot of freedom.
Kai: I am looking forward to getting to know even more artists through the next year at the Frame, especially through the group show and other group events!
Andrea: I am most excited to work alongside other creatives like me and getting to do cool things with organizations like the Game Creation Society and the Haute Glue show.
Antonia: I think I’m excited for everything. I’m excited for the team at The Frame and I am excited for all the art to come!
Nyx: I am excited to expand the frames audience reach this year, so students get the opportunity to interact and network with artists from around the city.
Adele: I want to push our shows to more people outside the school of art. CMU needs to see what we do.
Sarah: To see good art!
Follow @theframegallerycmu for the latest info on upcoming exhibitions.