Thesis 2026/ Catheryne Molina | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Thesis 2026/ Catheryne Molina

Catheryne Molina's Thesis Exhibition

In many ways, this thesis mirrors the story I set out to tell: taking on more than I am used to and figuring out how to carry it. Throughout my MFA I have sought to step outside of my comfort zone and push myself to try things that I didn't think I would have the space and time for. That is where I decided to learn and attempt to make an entire animation in the span of 3 months. From story board to finished product, since story telling is a big part of my practice, why not expand on the way I can do that?

The animation centers itself on a traveler who wanders around and in the process tries to help strangers who are visibly struggling. In this world, burdens, worries and doubts are visualized as backpacks, filled with objects that represent those emotional weights. As the traveler continues to explore town to town, they continue to take on more from others, to the point where their own load becomes unmanageable. This leads to their own backpack breaking. This story reflects and acknowledges the value of helping others, but it also emphasizes the importance of self-care.

This project combines animation, painting, sculpture and installation. I created an original animated short. I also constructed a life-scale backpack along with some of the items that the traveler carries with them by using cardboard and canvas. A painted forest background, from one of the scenes from the animation, fills the wall. All of these things were brought together to create an immersive installation. The backpack rests on top of a tree stump, in front of the painted forest, and a TV inside of the backpack shows the completed animation. A bench is painted and placed in front of the installation.

Unlike my previous work, this was the first time that I made a time-based work. The inclusion of the bench is to encourage the viewer to slow down, take a seat and sit with the work. The painted mural in the background also serves to create an immersive environment and places the viewer in the world of the story.

Website: https://www.cathmolina.com

Instagram: cathstar7

Published on
April 29, 2026

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