2026/27 Merit Scholarship Recipient: Meija Borowski

Why did you decide to come to MCAD?

I was mostly drawn to MCAD for it's location in Minneapolis. I decided to come here instead of Chicago because of the greater connection to nature and recreational areas in the city while maintaining a vibrant urban landscape. My favorite part about the school that helped make my final decision to come here was the shop and all the available resources it supplied. Immediately I got excited to explore more 3D techniques after visiting, even before I knew I wanted to pursue sculpture.

How/why did you choose your area of study

I initially started with a focus in fine arts drawing but wanted to expand my material boundaries. Evolving my work on a sculptural scale has given me freedom to explore concepts in a multidimensional way. I like how I'm able to create more connections through interplaying material and textures, working with space outside of the boundaries of a wall.

Describe the work you submitted for merits.

The work I submitted for merits consisted of many of my sculptural investigations from over the last year regarding issues of the body and health. I utilize contrasting materials and textures such as natural versus synthetic, mainly in the form of distorted recycled plastics and reclaimed wood, to represent the conflict between the “organic” human within states of artificiality and modern institutions.

What's next for your practice? Anything you're really excited to make?

I want to continue to explore techniques and uses with recycled plastics as it's still relevent to my core themes and interests in environmental practices within my art. However, I am excited to explore new materials as well and find ways to incorporate them within my practice and concepts. Agar-based bio-plastics are a new area I am especially excited to explore and have recently begun to experiment with.

Meija Borowski, Feel, Hold Tight

What inspires your creative self?

Anxiety is my biggest inspiration; specifically body anxiety, climate and environmental anxiety, etc. The uncomfortable itch it provides me motivates me to create more than anything else in my life.

Favorite thing about college life (so far)?

My friends, specifically the connections I've made in the sculpture community both in and outside MCAD.

What's the best thing you've found on the Free Shelf?

My best friend