As an emerging artist, Alex Vlasov isn’t afraid of artificial intelligence. While some futurists predict AI could replace human-created art and writing, Vlasov disagrees.

“Photography didn’t replace paintings. Ever since the first photographs in 1826, paintings are still created,” Vlasov said. He further explained that human-created art will continue to provide opportunities for people to see connections, find themes, and experience the emotions conveyed through an artist’s work.

One of five Master of Fine Arts (MFA) candidates in Michigan State University’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design who are graduating this spring, Vlasov’s thesis work is featured in the 2026 MFA Exhibition at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum on view through May 17, 2026.

A native of Russia, Vlasov came to the United States without knowing a single word of English. He spent years learning the language while working construction and restaurant jobs, gradually acclimating to life in America.

“I’ve had a lot of fun being here [at MSU]. The Broad is a great museum, and the proximity to the museums and galleries in Detroit and Chicago was invaluable.”

Alex Vlasov

His passion for art was sparked by works from Philip Guston, Cy Twombly, and Jackson Pollock, which he encountered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. Inspired, he enrolled at the Cleveland Institute of Art, where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2023 before continuing his studies at Michigan State University.

MSU’s proximity to Chicago and Detroit provided access to vibrant artistic communities in both cities, an experience Vlasov found invaluable.

During his studies, Vlasov has been featured in eight solo and two-person exhibitions and has participated in 23 additional shows, most of them juried. He has also written about art and literature, which has been published in several Chicago magazines and e-zines.

The work he presents in the MFA Exhibition includes a series of painted words arranged with unconventional breaks, as well as drawings that explore color, shape, and spatial relationships. He is also exhibiting approximately 10 sculptures made from discarded construction materials and other found objects. He encourages viewers to look for connections across his work and remain open to the emotions it may evoke.

“I’ve had a lot of fun being here [at MSU],” he said. “The Broad is a great museum, and the proximity to the museums and galleries in Detroit and Chicago was invaluable.”

Having earned his MFA, Vlasov now plans to return to New York to continue his artistic career while pursuing a tenure-track teaching position.

“New York is the most likely place to become famous,” he said. “But I do enjoy teaching too.”

MFA Program and Exhibition

The 2026 MFA Exhibition is the culmination of a three-year program offered by MSU’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design in which the artist-scholars push the existing limits of art while exploring their creative practice with the support of a faculty committee selected by each MFA candidate.

Under the guidance of their faculty committees, MFA candidates develop a rigorous studio practice and engage in extensive study in a medium or area of concentration. Their work is informed by their curiosity of the world around them and complemented by coursework in the history of art and related fields.

While developing their thesis exhibitions, MFA candidates work with their committees to refine their research and artistic goals, deepening their understanding of what it means to be a contemporary practicing artist. The MFA Exhibition serves as evidence of their achievements and continuing artistic and scholarly promise.

The MFA Exhibition is organized by the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in partnership with MSU’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design and curated by Rachel Winter, Ph.D., Assistant Curator, with support from Nat Swartz, Curatorial Research Assistant. Support for this exhibition is provided by the Graduate School at MSU and the John and Susan Berding Family Endowment.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum is open Wednesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is always free.

By Colleen Gehoski Steinman