Every year, the Department of Art & Art History in the College of Fine Arts hosts a Juried Exhibition, a moment for students in the Department to show off their best work at the Gittins Gallery. This year’s show opened on January 29th to a packed room. The show runs through February 18th.
Students view Kiera Ohm's Best in Show piece, "EGGGS!!" (Photo by Martin Novak)
This year’s guest judge was Venessa Castagnoli, the Executive Director of Ogden Contemporary Arts (she's also hosting a workshop for students on the art business). Venessa chose the Best in Show winner, Kiera Ohrn’s digital piece "EGGGS!!." She also selected the Runner-up, Valentine Reynolds’ mechanical multimedia work "Drawing Robot."
Valentine Reynolds accepts the award for her piece "Drawing Robot" (Photo by Spencer Windes)
The Department faculty chose to honor three pieces—Kim Deneris Brown’s "Fragments from the Fore," Avery Adessa’ "Exit Eden," and Roan Young’s "Obsession in Mourning."
Also recognized by an anonymous donor were special prizes for Amber Oar’s "The Imp Tree," Yu Hyan Jin’s "Protagonist," and Isabella Aycock’s "Wondering Eye."
What’s remarkable about this show is the enormous breadth. Since it features so many artists working in so many media, the Juried Exhibition is a lighting flash, a snapshot of art at the moment, an expression of where the next generation of artists are right now in the culture of artmaking. It's an excellent chance to see a comprehensive view of what the College’s remarkable talents are crafting, communicating, putting out into the world.'
Students chat next to Kaybria Swenson's sculpture "Freak of nature." (Photo by Martin Novak)