Artists Explore, Ask and Answer: What is America today?
National Juried Show
On display: August 2 – 29, 2019
JURORS:
* Rachel Adams, Chief Curator and Director of Programs, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts (Omaha, NE)
* Taylor Bythewood-Porter, Assistant History Curator, California African American Museum
* Jen Mergel, Independent Curator, previously Vice-President, Programs, Association of Art Museum Curators; Founding Director, Curatorial Network Accelerator of Boston
* Jennifer M. Williams, Public Programs Manager, New Orleans Museum of Art
Touchstone Gallery presents its third national juried exhibition following the success of "Art as Politics" in 2016 and "Art of Engagement” in 2017. This year artists from across the United States confront the question of how we define our national identity and values during a time of divisive politics and great social change. Four jurors from across the nation have selected the works of artists who best address this question.
“Contemporary artists . . . have the vision, creativity and talent to help us see and appreciate the complexities and possibilities that we otherwise wouldn’t,” says Boston-based juror Jen Mergel, previously Vice President, Programs, of Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC), who recently was The Armory Show Curator of Platform and before that served as the Beal Family Senior Curator of Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Ms. Mergel also added: “There is no single or simple answer to what “America Is.” “The selected artists are contributing to the conversation of how diverse this nation is today, employing a variety of techniques and concepts,” adds juror Rachel Adams, newly appointed Chief Curator and Director of Programs at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts (Omaha, NE). What stands out in this show, according to juror Taylor Bythewood-Porter, an Assistant History Curator at the California African American Museum (CAAM), is “the range of works submitted and the topics they address … from issues around climate change to immigration, from forgotten Americana to marveling at the everyday.”
In this exhibition, there are works related to many national issues -- political corruption, constitutional crisis, racism, stereotypes of immigrants, police violence, climate change, women’s rights, drug addiction, discrimination against the LGBTQ community, the distracting impact of the digital world, to name a few. The artists speak in many voices – some satirical or filled with dark humor, some confrontational and solemn, yet hopeful, some marveling at progress and some lamenting the lack of progress, some with explicit and direct commentary on the issues of the day, others with the subtle and metaphorical voice emerging from their highly original use of materials. The artists employ a variety of media; installations of life-sized scale sculpture, multimedia pieces, paintings and photographs, and fiber works.
This show is a feast for the eyes and a catalyst for reflection. Touchstone hopes that it will provide viewers with some insights and increase their empathy using masterfully presented perspectives of the exhibiting artists.
Participating Artists: Mia Adams, Ellis Angel, Robert Arbogast, Christine Atkinson, Ti-Rock Moore and Nic Brierre Aziz, Bobbi Baugh, Jennifer Becker, Aaron John Bourque, Joan Lobis Brown, John Coppola, Don DonCee Coulter, Connor Czora, Kara Daviau, Kendall Dorman, Jorg Dubin, Michalina Eisenberg, Abigail Engstrand, Andy Fernandez, Lloyd Foster, Jenne Glover, Lauren Gohara, Beryl Jazvic, Leonard Jewler, Melissa Joseph, Michael A Lang, Heather Layton, Jin Lee, Judith G. Levy, June Linowitz, Jim McKeon, Lori Mehta, Charles Mintz, Kerry Mitchell, Alx Orphant, Jessica Pace-Berkeley, Seol Park, Denise Poloyac, Bret Poplos, Matthew Rentz, Beverly Ryan, Corrina Sephora, Brandon C. Smith, Vincent Lee Smith, Ann Stoddard, Laura Sussman-Randall, Esteban Whiteside, Andrew Wohl, Jenny Wu.
Touchstone’s August exhibits include both “America Is ... “ and a Touchstone Gallery Members’ small works exhibit in the Annex gallery. At the Opening Reception on August 2, 6-8:30 pm, cash prizes will be awarded to four of the artists participating in the national juried show, each selected by one of the jurors.
Touchstone Gallery was founded in 1976 and is located in downtown DC, near all the major political centers. The gallery regularly shows the artwork of its member artists and is committed to providing a forum for artists from across the country to exhibit in the nation’s capital as well. Touchstone Gallery has been voted Best of D.C. for three years in a row by The Washington Post readers, and four years in a row by Washington City Paper readers.
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