Intermedia Gallery Group’s new exhibit, "Mask Mandate," explores masks as they relate to the human experience and how they are as complex as the process of making them.
Intermedia Gallery Group is Eastern Michigan University’s student-run art gallery. It was founded in 1977 and has completed a wide range of projects during its almost 50-year history.
The flyer for "Mask Mandate" reminds readers to think about their experiences wearing masks during the Covid-19 pandemic, and asks that, "...students reconsider their relationships with masks and wearable artwork.”
Next to most of the pieces in the exhibit, there are pictures of students wearing their masks to give the viewer an idea of the mask’s intended use.
Student artwork displayed in IGG's gallery for the "Mask Mandate" show.
Kristen Holsworth is the president of Intermedia Gallery Group for the 2025-2026 school year, and was co-president with two other students last year. She joined the group not necessarily expecting to take on the role of co-president, but her passion for protecting a space for student art and community was all she needed to know the role was right for her.
“I wanted to become president to make sure that the community thrived and continued to grow into more than just a space in the student center," Holsworth said. “We all want our voices heard.”
Holsworth believes that Intermedia Gallery Group is a great place for students of any background or major to express themselves and find a sense of community through art.
As a student-run gallery, Intermedia Gallery Group depends on student engagement to create exhibits and keep its ambition alive.
“I know [Intermedia Gallery Group] has changed and evolved over the fifty years it has been around. That's what I want it to keep doing after I leave," Holsworth said.
Aside from self-expression, Holsworth sees Intermedia Gallery Group as a place for students to gain real-world experience of their craft before they graduate college.
“I've not only gotten great real world experience out of being a part of this group, I've gotten friends and people I can rely on," Holsworth said.
Students and faculty browse Intermedia Gallery Group's first show of the season titled "Mask Mandate" at their public reception on Sept. 18 2025.
Jason Ferguson, a professor in the EMU School of Art & Design since 2010, originally created the "Mask Mandate" project during the Covid-19 pandemic for his Digital Fabrication class. The project has served as a practical and meaningful way to further his students’ knowledge about 3-D printing, and the creation of some of the masks included in the exhibition date as far back as 2022.
“It has been wonderful working with Aya Bazzi and Kristen Holsworth of IGG to curate the show from the class's archives and to see this exhibition come to fruition," Ferguson said.
"Mask Mandate" opened on Sept. 8, 2025 in Intermedia Gallery Group's Student Center Gallery, and will come to a close on Sept. 25. The public reception was held on Sept. 18 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Check out our photo walk through of the reception here!
