Thursday, February 25, 2010

5 x 5 - Have Your Say!

5 x 5, five local artists, five national curators

Hello!

As you may have seen, we have been working on an exciting exhibition for the months of April and May. After much hard work, we have acquired 88 fabulous artist submissions and have
posted them here on our blog.

Now is the chance for you to have your say!
If you could pick 5 of them, who would you pick to be in the show? Why?

What defines “emerging art” and what is the importance of it in a healthy arts community? In 5 x 5 we seek to open a dialogue about the significance of emerging arts and the people involved in supporting it. Our national curators offer a fresh eye to Seattle arts – giving us an outside perspective and definition of what quality emerging art is. This exterior influence provides a foundation for further development of the Seattle aesthetic and a sounding board for Seattle artists to investigate their role within a national spectrum.

The premise of 5 x 5 is to offer five local emerging artists an opportunity to exhibit their work within a professional gallery setting while gaining exposure in their community as well as with nationally recognized artists and curators.

We encourage the public to open a conversation about emerging arts in the Northwest and how it is viewed through the eyes of those from other corners of the country. The exhibition will inspire critical investigation into questions such as – What is the significance of having national curators select the artists for this show? How do galleries support diversity in the arts and provide opportunities for emerging artists to showcase their work? How does the Northwest emerging art scene in this region differ from other areas? And what is currently considered “emerging art”?

The development of this exhibition has been intentionally open for public view and comments to encourage dialogue and provide a window into the process. 5 x 5 was instigated by a few people discussing “emerging art” and wanting to take that conversation to a broader place.

Participating national curators include:
Edward Goldman, National Public Radio affiliated station, KCRW 89.9 fm - Los Angeles
Steve Kursh, Artist – Woodstock, NY
Bob Nugent Artist and Curator – San Francisco, CA
Ford Crull Artist – New York, NY
and Sheila Elias Artist – Miami, FL.

5 x 5 will open Thursday April 8th, 2010 and run through June 5th, 2010. An opening reception is schedule for April 8th, 2010 from 5pm until 9pm.

Grey Gallery and Lounge is dedicated to supporting the innovation and experimentation of artists. It is open everyday from 4pm to 2am, by appointment or by chance.
Email luara@greygalleryandlounge.com with questions about 5 x 5 .

26 comments:

  1. I am really enjoying looking at everyone's art. Thanks Luara and Grey Gallery for putting it all on a blog. Great idea.

    I can't answer any of the questions you are asking except that, to me, being an emerging artist means waking up every morning with a head full of ideas and dreams and a growing credit card bill. The "ideas and dreams" part is fun. I love it.

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  2. Posted on behalf of Alicedean:

    Your 5 x 5 is a great idea and great opportunity for both the artist and community. ( and collectors like myself) Just having all the work on the web-site is a bonus for all the artist.

    These are the 5 that I would select:

    # 88 Sean Alexander. I like his subject matter/style/colour of drawings. ( I own 5 of his drawings)

    #74 Luke Pulliam I like his use of materials and making the subject matter relavant to today's issue, his work brings to mind Robert Gober.

    #79 Hart Boyd I liked that he is stretching/exploring the use of photography , I see a influence of Wolfgang Tillmans.

    #59 Kevin McCarthy A great strong work, Grye Nest

    #12 Julie Alpert Like the use of color / material re-adressing the space.


    Of course its hard to make any choices by only looking at work via the net, to get the full experience, you really need to see the work in person and if your lucky enough have conversations with the artist.


    I look forward to seeing what the curators will select.

    again, a great project.....


    dean

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  3. This is an amazing collection of work, and a fantastic opportunity being presented by the Grey Gallery!
    My vote:
    #13
    #77
    #72
    #56
    #27

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  4. I am very impressed with the overall quality of work that was submitted to 5x5 and I am very excited to see who is selected for the showing. Seeing the variety of artistic work submitted opened my eyes to the wide world of inspiration that is available to me as an artist. I am a photographer, but I found that much of the work that I was most drawn to were in other mediums such as the paintings by Robin Goodwin (#58), Nikki Mull (#20), Tenaya Sims (#75) and the drawings of Anna Wetzel (#73).

    Choosing art is not an easy path through life, although I believe that it is a yearning that cannot be ignored despite its challenges. Being an early-career, emerging artist is particularly difficult. I have something to say through your art, but it is challenging to find someone to listen. Galleries can help the emerging artist reach an audience. However, as businesses, galleries are also looking for artists who can bring exposure and sales to the gallery. Galleries must be willing and able to devote at least some of their time and space to artists who are not proven - but who clearly have something to say.

    All I can say is thank you to Grey Gallery and any gallery who takes that chance on those of us who are new to this world and are just trying to have our voices heard through our art.

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  5. Posted on behalf of Roshni Robert.

    i would choose Susan Melrath, Susanna Bluhm, Jean Bradbury, Celeste Cooning and Sean Alexander- though i don't necessarily think their work would look the very best together. i prefer these artist because they hold on to loveliness. the works all carried softness and care as well as a clear talent. i am very interested in quiet colours (as seen in my own work) and these artists convey images that are natural, using delicate details.
    my vote.

    thanks!
    roshni

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  6. Lots of great work here! Here are my top 4 - I found them to be the most visually interesting. Also, in each of these I saw something I hadn't seen before.

    #20 - Nikki Mull

    #27 - Jean Bradbury

    #54 - Brian Cypher

    #83 - Tamara Stephas

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  7. Wow these are NIIICE!!!
    My votes:
    80
    82
    83
    85
    87

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  8. Very difficult choice. I am glad the real decision is not mine! My first pass through I came up with eight; narrowing that down to five was excruciating. Other than myself, I would choose

    Lauren Wallace (89)
    Knena Williams (72)
    Celeste Cooning (46)
    Anna Garner (29)
    Olivia Britt (22)

    Not that their work would necessarily work well together, but individually I think they are the most exciting and intriguing artists in the line-up. Other than myself... ;-)

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  9. I'm just an average pedestrian individual who know's what I like, without necessarily knowing how to articulate the why of what I like.
    My picks are as follows:
    #77
    #13
    #72
    #56
    #27

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  10. Awesome concept, Grey Gallery. I'm so pleased to engage in this forum.
    -- 73 / Anna Wetzel

    So, if I were curating:

    Right off the bat, I'm interested in the pairing of McCarthy and Alpert's very different treatment of cardboard structures. Alpert's installations glimmer and swoop and totter in defiance of gravity -- a Gondry-esque take on Chutes & Ladders! -- while McCarthy's submission reads as a landscape of static, if beautiful, industrial debris. Hall gives us renderings of demolished spaces, asking the viewer to consider a building's post-mortem identity. In contrast, Howard's meditative wood grain drawings present an architectural element in its raw state, prior to (or reclaimed after?) a life cycle of blueprints, concrete, steel, wiring, usage, and demolition. Finally, Murray's menacing sci-fi troupes reinforce this common sense of imminent destruction. Admittedly, I just really want to include these little sculptures on the bill. I think they're utterly fantastic!

    59 / Kevin McCarthy
    http://greygalleryandlounge.blogspot.com/2010/02/5-x-5-submission-59-kevin-mccarthy.html
    12 / Julie Alpert
    http://greygalleryandlounge.blogspot.com/2010/01/5-x-5-submission-12-julie-alpert.html
    36 / Tom Hall
    http://greygalleryandlounge.blogspot.com/2010/02/5-x-5-submission-36-tom-hall.html
    35 / Gail Howard
    http://greygalleryandlounge.blogspot.com/2010/02/5-x-5-submission-35-gail-howard.html
    31 / Aaron Murray
    http://greygalleryandlounge.blogspot.com/2010/02/5-x-5-submission-31-aaron-murray.html

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  11. My picks are:

    #80, #51, #34, #83 and #33

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  12. Great idea!

    #80 (personal favorite)
    #21
    #57
    #75
    #14
    #20

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  13. Great collection Luara. My picks are:

    89
    87
    80
    75
    45

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  14. My definition of an emerging artist is someone who works in their studio and emerges with a different product than the last time they tried their artwork on the world. Once you find that particular style/approach/subject matter/thing that you'll want to work at the rest of your career, you might be "established," but hopefully you'll still get to emerge once and a while:).

    My picks:
    #83 Tamara Stephas
    #74 Luke Pulliam
    #73 Anna Wetzel
    #63 Michael Lorefice
    #21 Sofya Radelet

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  15. wow, what an enjoyable few minutes! my votes are:

    80, 77, 73, 58, 46, 37, 29

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  16. 84. It’s so strange, and beautiful, and the texture is amazing.
    77. The colors and compositions are wonderful.
    75. Like the old Masters. Rich with life.
    56. Bold and interesting.
    29. Gorgeous lighting. Tiny glimpses into worlds that could be real, or not.

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  17. My Top 3:

    69 – Cameron Quinn – I really like the bright bold colors. The mix of geometric patterned backgrounds with the animals in the foreground was very effective in creating a whimsical expression of how nature might view man’s encroachment.
    77 – Susan Melrath –The colors draw me in, and as a school teacher, I appreciate the ethnic diversity and the subject matter of the paintings.
    75 – Tenaya Sims – I am drawn into these painting, causing me to wonder about the subjects: who are they? What stories do they have to share? . . .


    Of the descriptions I've heard for what defines an emerging artists, my favorite is: "I imagine someone who's been warming up their voice and is ready to sing out."

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  18. i'd like to echo christine in saying "thank you" to grey gallery for offering such a unique opportunity to artists and viewers alike.

    for the viewer/collector, this is a chance to not only view the work but read the artist's statement & bio, and if desired, to follow up to see more work on their website....all at the touch of a finger.

    for the artists - this is a chance to put their work before respected jurors, see the other submissions, and read the interesting dialogue by the viewers.

    i hope this format catches on and we see more of this kind of exhibition in the future!

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  19. I wrote about this on my blog...

    http://gettingtoknowyoubetter.wordpress.com/2010/03/07/demystification-in-the-works/

    susanna

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  20. Wow, so hard to choose.

    I'm intrigued by how artists treat dimensionality (intentionally or not), so I'll use that as my yardstick.

    22 Olivia Britt (space abstracted)
    24 Jesse Brown (intersection of 2D and 3D)
    34 David McCrae (depth, composition)
    36 Tom Hall (space and time interwoven)
    83 Tamara Stephas (fragile, evocative structure)

    Can't wait to see the show!

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  21. Congrats to all who have been a piece of the Grey Gallery history and this exciting forum of showcasing NW art. I have enjoyed the process a great deal.
    Thanks to Grey Gallery for the idea and congrats to the selcted winners.

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  22. Here are my picks! I am really inspired by everyone's creativity!

    #80 Evren Artiran
    #29 Anna Garner
    #87 Ann Cho
    #61 Kristin Leff
    #30 Kelda Martensen

    ~Spirit

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  23. And the winners are...

    80
    89
    87
    75
    45

    Good luck to all submissions!

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  24. Thanks to all for posting your thoughts about the show. Please be sure to come and check it out in person. We open April 8th!

    And thanks Susanna for the blog love!

    Cheers, Grey Gallery and Lounge

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