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Biennial Members + Student Invitational

WAKING UP

THE DR. ROBERT L. BRANDT, JR. FAMILY GALLERY
THE JACK W. & SALLY D. EICHELBERGER FOUNDATION VIDEO GALLERY
THE IRA H. & SUSAN P. THOMSEN FAMILY GALLERY

 

AUG 5 – SEP 4, 2022

The Contemporary Dayton Biennial Member and Student Invitational is presented in memory of founding member and artist, Raymond L. Must (1929–2022), and long-time member and educator, Carol A. Nathanson (1945–2022).

Waking Up: The Contemporary Dayton Biennial Member and Student Invitational features artwork created over the past year around the theme of emerging from the pandemic by artists living and working in Dayton and throughout Ohio; and a selection of top emerging artists from area colleges and universities. The exhibition also includes the Mike Goheen Memorial Fund Award for Emerging Photographers, selected by Tracy Longley-Cook, Associate Professor of Photography, Wright State University. This exhibition is organized by Cydnie King, Curatorial Assistant at The Co. 

As Oscar Wilde said, “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life,” Cydnie King was curious to explore how artists imitated the eventful life around them through their recent work. While organizing Waking Up, King drew on personal experiences as an artist living and working through the height of the pandemic. “I remember this odd feeling of optimism when the lockdown first started. I kept thinking, ‘I’d get so much drawing done, I can deep clean the house, I have time to make more art. This is going to be great!’ Fast forward to the end of the lockdown, and I hadn’t made anything. I spent that time at home with my 2-year-old in an isolated social bubble. I was nowhere near as productive as I wanted to be. I felt distracted, overwhelmed by the state of the world, guilty about my lack of productivity, and anxious to get back to how things were. As time pressed on, I decided to try to work through my creative slump instead of despairing and it was like waking up from a dream state. I wanted to make up for the time I lost and couldn’t get the ideas out of my head fast enough. For this exhibition, I wanted to reflect the mindset of many artists I’ve come to admire while working at The Co and explore what they were thinking during the time when most of the country was on pause.” 

 

MEMBER ARTISTS
Zachary Armstrong
Robert Blackstone
Tess Cortés
Shon Curtis
Andrew Dailey
John Dickinson
Horace Dozier, Sr.
Jamaal Durr
Michael “Ace” Gummer
Darren Haper
Julie Renee Jones
Katherine Kadish
David Leach
Brian Mathus
Kate Santucci
Francis Schanberger
Susanne Scherette King
Erin Smith Glenn
Kyle Thiele
Joel Whitaker

STUDENT ARTISTS
Veronica Bernacki (University of Dayton)
Kendall Brock (Columbus College of Art & Design)
Cassie Crownover (Wright State University)
Shannon Gallion (Wright State University)
Trevor Montei (Wright State University)
Claire Murphy (University of Dayton)
Kaylee Peters (University of Dayton)
Amalia Rose Petreman (Wright State University)
Mar Quintero (Wright State University)
Quan Thai (University of Dayton)
Megan Weeda (University of Dayton)
Jess Williams (University of Dayton)

ABOUT THE ORGANIZER
Cydnie King was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and lives in Fairborn, Ohio with her husband and son. King earned a Bachelor of Arts with Emphasis in Studio Art at Webster University. After graduating in 2014, she started as an Intern at The Contemporary Dayton and is now a Curatorial Assistant. King is also an exhibiting artist who has art displayed throughout the Midwest in public and private collections including the University of Dayton.

THE MIKE GOHEEN MEMORIAL AWARD FOR EMERGING PHOTOGRAPHERSThe Mike Goheen Memorial Award for Emerging Photographers honors the longtime Member of The Co, Mike Goheen, and his legacy and passion for photography. The award was established in 2017 by Mike’s partner and supporter of The Co, Craig Schrolucke, and provides $500 as cash prizes to photographers participating in the Biennial Member and Student Invitational. The award is one of the largest of its kind in the region and is awarded every two years to a photographer who demonstrates experimental photographic methods. This year, the award will be selected by Tracy Longley-Cook, Associate Professor of Photography, Wright State University.

ABOUT THE PRIZE JUROR
Tracy Longley-Cook has a BFA from the University of Washington (1997) and MFA in photography from Arizona State University (2007). Tracy also studied at the Maine Photographic Workshops residency program from 1994-1995. Currently, she is an Associate Professor of Photography, and an Associate Chair of the School of Fine and Performing Arts at Wright State University. 

2022 AWARD WINNERS
First Place: Julie Renee Jones, Underside
Honorable Mention: Joel Whitaker, Nesting 1
Honorable Mention: Shon Curtis, Mr. Musa in Autumn

 

SPONSORS

EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS PARTNER
Dr. Robert L. Brandt, Jr. 

PRODUCTION PARTNER
Mitosis

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