Juror’s statement-
As a juror, approaching a call without a defined theme can feel daunting, akin to facing a blank canvas or a lump of clay at the start of a new studio project. However, I was delighted by the range of talent and ideas presented for this Biennial. With so many entries, the main challenge was identifying strong individual works that could coalesce into a harmonious exhibition. As I reviewed the art, certain pieces immediately caught my attention, and I began noticing patterns connecting them in various ways, which I’d like to share briefly.
I have a penchant for figurative work. Yet, my selections aren’t necessarily straightforward displays of naturalistic representations of the body and local color; abstraction captivates me just as much. Still, the subtle indications of human presence always draw me in. We can see this interest reflected in several pieces on display, from the delicate finger pokingin Greg Reuter’s ,“Bird in the Hand”, to the finger-like looping of coils and tendrils in Lauren Clay’s ,”Brick’s + Blue Skies Series 1”. This reverence for the figure is especially prominent in works like Fatima Jamil’s, “Vestige of a Dream - Deconstruction and Liberation of Form and Whispers of Renewal”, and Joshua Brinlee’s, “Self-Portrait as Churned”.
The selected works also offer distinct perspectives relevant to our world and time. Looking around at the show, I observe clear and implied portals—hollows, frames, and sometimes literal circular formats—that visually transport me from one realm of the work to another.
These characteristics echo the unique nature of vision itself. Thresholds can both reflect and skew our gaze, urging us to explore contrasting or surreal details, much like the tension we find in Jonathan Durham’s piece, “A Dream Split IntoUnequal Parts Grinds Its Teeth to Powder”, and J. Michael Simpson’s video, “Underflow”.
Another connective trait among these artworks is the concept of hybridization. Examining the exhibit, I witness a collision and fusion of images, processes, materials, ideas, and experiences that create compelling compositions. I find pleasure in the visual layering, allowing myself to mentally peel back layers or lose track of time in the soft edges accented by hints of crispness. Many pieces exemplify this, including Lauren Peterson’s, “Maquette for Ambiguous Meaning (Fossil 02)”, and Jack Girard’s, “Migrants”.
My sensibility toward color could be described as schizophrenic. On one hand, I have a deep appreciation for the innate color and texture of materials, especially in three- dimensional forms, as seen in Zena Stetka Howe’s, “Chariot”, and Jaimie Speck's, ”The Laundress’ Loom”. Conversely, I am naturally drawn to warm colors, particularly the vivid spectrumfrom red to hot pink, evident in works such as Annieo Klaas’, “Daydream No. 6”, and the Muscle Memory Collective’s, “Windfall”.
Finally, I must highlight the many pieces that possess a psychic or psychological allure. Notable examples include Brenda Burmeister’s, “My Sumptuary Blues, Old Enough”, with its haunting embroidered message set against a specter-like cyanotype image, and Saffron William’s, “SQUEEZEMEHOLDME”, featuring a tangled mass of arms reaching out for human interaction. In this last work, I find myself resisting an urge to touch, yearning to feel its textures against my skin.
Together, these attributes form the constellation of work in this exhibition. Please join me in congratulating the Third Coast Biennial artists and prize winners. I hope you find a lot to love.
