FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Please List
Congratulations to the winners of Viridian’s
31st International Juried Competition
Susan Harris, Juror
September 7-October 2, 2021
Closing Reception Thursday, September 30th 6-8PM
1st prize – Lexus Giles 2nd prize – Heidi Brueckner 3rd prize – John Humphries
Honorable Mention: Blair Treuer & Jacqueline Donadeo
Norman Aragones * Steffani Bailey * Emmett Barnacle * Saba Besier * Carol Blum * Lesley Bodzy *
Amy Broderick * Zoe Brown-Weissmann * Susan Bruce-Feinsod * Jasper Knight Champion * Jeanne Ciravolo Pam Cooper * Barbara Dirnbach * Fatima Franks * Tom Gehrig * Deneece Harrell Ham * Melissa Holmes * Susannah Israel * Steven Kratka * Aliona Kuznetsova * Nayana LaFond * Roberta Levitow *
Susan Miller Zelenak * Paul Murray * Hillel O’Leary * Carol Paik * Brett Poza *
Laura Rutherford Renner * Brad Silk * Dorian Skelton * Ko Smith * John VanDewerker*
“The art and artists whose works I’ve included in this exhibition demonstrate a sophistication in their
selection and handling of materials, an unwavering eye in scrutinizing humanity and individuals’ inner and outer realities, and a yearning to connect with something larger be it nature, religion, spirituality or even the absurd.” Susan Harris
Chelsea: Viridian Artists Inc. is pleased to present our 31st International Juried Exhibition curated by Susan Harris. The exhibition opens September 7th and continues through October 2nd, 2021. In celebration, both a live & virtual closing reception will be held on Thursday, September 30th, 6-8pm, though we ask that those who attend the gallery reception, wear masks and show proof of their Covid vaccination. If you are unable to attend the reception physically, we hope you will be with us virtually at our zoom reception. We are especially pleased to present cash awards to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of this important competition that brings the art of emerging and under-recognized artists to the attention of museum curators.
We are honored to have Susan Harris act as juror for this competition. She is not only an independent curator and writer of contemporary art in New York City, but also is on the Executive Boards of Art Critics Association of America (AICA-US), Printed Matter and The Brooklyn Rail for which she is a contributing editor. She was a founding Board member of Exit Art and Managing Editor of Unfinished Memories: 30 Years of Exit Art. She was an Assistant Curator for The American Century: 1950-2000 at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Her large-scale, curatorial projects include monographic exhibitions and catalogues on Frank Moore, Pat Steir, Jim Hodges, Nancy Spero and Richard Tuttle.
Harris states:
“Powerful, forthcoming, vulnerable, penetrating and searching are words that come to mind characterizing the works of art I’ve been privileged to view and select for Viridian Artists 31st International Juried Exhibition. Looking at 1100 digital, visual submissions by 258 artists was an endeavor I undertook with respect and rigor. (Hurricane Henri played its part in ensuring I had no other distractions.) Overwhelmed at first, I trusted in the images to speak out--and express their truths they did. A vast array of media, processes, strategies, perspectives, intentions, and purposes is not reducible to a few convenient categorizations or soundbites. As an aggregate, the works manifest and ruminate on the extremely complicated, challenging, and deeply poignant moment we are living in. The art and artists whose works I’ve included in this exhibition demonstrate a sophistication in their selection and handling of materials, an unwavering eye in scrutinizing humanity and individuals’ inner and outer realities, and a yearning to connect with something larger be it nature, religion, spirituality or even the absurd. Each artwork discloses something(s) personally and collectively illuminating and enrichening that I, in turn, want to share with others. Thank you to all the artists who submitted works. I am grateful to you for sharing your visions.”
As always, Viridian makes a concerted effort to expand the opportunities for outstanding artists’ work to be seen and exhibited. Consequently, the gallery director, Vernita Nemec, also selects artwork from those submitted to the Juried competition. We feel it important to tangibly demonstrate that curatorial choice is often as much about personal taste as it is about the "quality" of the art for "quality" in art is often open to opinion. Images of “Director’s Choice” winners will be on view in a digital presentation during the duration of the 31st International Juried Competition Exhibition:
Morgan Anderson * Lexi Arrietta * Steffani Bailey * Emmett Barnacle * Kerrie Bellisario *
Saba Besier * Gregory Bryant * Ellen Burgin * Mary Eileen Carson * Helena Chastel * Jeanne Ciravolo *
Marcia Conlon * Julie Fisher * Carissa Heinrichs * Christy Hengst * John Humphries * Susannah Israel *
Clark Leonard * Patrick Luber * David Murgio * Paul Murray * Hiroko Ohno * Lauren Packard *
April Dawn Parker * Lisa Pincus * Esther Reid * Miroslava Romanova * Leonard Rosenfeld * Karen Roth *
Laura Rutherford Renner * Marc Schimsky * Veronika Schmude * Brad Silk * Abbey Stace * Glenn Strachan * Kharam Suruma * Megan Thorne *
(Artists whose names are in bold, were selected by both the juror & the gallery director.)
Gallery hours: Tuesday through Saturday 12-6pm & by appointment with masks
For further information please contact the gallery at viridianartistsinc@gmail.com
or view the gallery website: www.viridianartists.com