The University Art Museum is pleased to announce the opening of the 2006 Artists of the Mohawk-Hudson Region Juried Exhibition. Founded in 1936, this annual exhibition is among the longest-running regionals in the country and provides a leading benchmark for contemporary art activity in the Upper Hudson Valley. The exhibition is collaboratively sponsored by the University Art Museum, University at Albany and the Albany Institute of History & Art.
This year’s juror is Lilly Wei, a New York-based art critic, essayist and independent curator who writes frequently for Art in America and other publications in both the U.S. and abroad. She is a contributing editor at ARTnews and Art Asia Pacific and has curated exhibitions on a wide range of subjects, recently The Invisible Thread: Spirit of Buddhism in Contemporary Art (Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, New York, 2004) and Glass, Seriously (Dorsky Gallery Curatorial Program, Long Island City, New York, 2005.) Ms. Wei’s final juried selection from over 1,000 entries by 220 artists includes 51 works by 38 artists. Selections include work in a variety of media and reflect the expansive range of issues and subject matter that contemporary artists are dealing with both in the Capital Region and in the larger art world.
The 2006 Artists of the Mohawk-Hudson Region is dedicated to the memory of Nancy Hyatt Liddle (1931-2004). Director of the University Art Museum for fifteen years from 1977 through 1992, Nancy was a tireless advocate for regional artists. She was widely known as a supporter and board member of many community organizations, notably the Albany Institute of History & Art, Olana Historic Site, and Historic Albany Foundation. Her dedication and service has left an enduring legacy to the museum and to the Capital Region.
This year cash awards and gift certificates totaling $4,000 will be awarded to artists at the opening reception on June 29th. Over a dozen area businesses and individuals have contributed, demonstrating their on-going support for the exhibition, and for the visual arts and artists in the Capital Region.
The museum is grateful to the following for their support of the exhibition and catalogue: Accent Furniture, Austin & Co., Inc., Matthew and Phoebe Bender, The Chazen Companies, The Community Foundation for the Capital Region’s Nancy Hyatt Liddle Fund for the Arts, Turner Construction Company, University at Albany Alumni Association, University at Albany Office of the President and Office of the Provost. Artist award and gift certificate sponsors include Albany Center Galleries Board of Directors, architecture+, jkdorgan arts, Marijo Dougherty and Norman Bauman, Friends of Mayor Jennings, Metroland, Picotte Companies, William B. Schade, Swyer Companies, Times Union, University at Albany Alumni Association, Arlene's Artist Materials, A. Grindle Custom Framing, Clement Frame Shop & Art Gallery, Inc., and McGreevy Prolab. In kind support was provided by Gary David Gold Photography, and New York Press & Graphics.
2006 Artists of the Mohawk Hudson Region: Ford Bailey (Chatham), Sharon Bates (Troy), Martin Benjamin (Schenectady), Pennie Brantley (Petersburgh), Lynn Dreese Breslin (Coxsackie), Allen Bryan (Saugerties), Ralph D. Caparulo (Galway), Karisa Centanni (Troy), Patrick Cuffe (Albany), Claudia Dean (Albany), Kelly de la Rocha (Glenville), Chris DeMarco (Albany), Jeri Eisenberg (East Greenbush), Kawther A. Elmi (Albany), Ginger Ertz (Schenectady), Jim Flosdorf (Troy), Lorrie Fredette (West Camp), Richard Garrison (Delmar), Ben Godward (Albany), Kathy Greenwood (Troy), Peter Iannarelli (Beacon), Anita Fina Kiewra (Verbank), Jeri C. Macdonald (Cambridge), Erin A. McCaffrey (Central Bridge), Michael McKay (Canaan), Jason Nickel (Utica), Michael Oatman (Troy), Leslie Parke (Cambridge), Seth Pompi (Albany), Marion Preston (Ft. Johnson), Dorene Quinn (Utica), Emily Rauch (Rensselaerville), Karin Stack (Williamstown, Massachusetts), Vimala Steadman (New Lebanon), Aimee Tarasek (New Hartford), Terrence Tiernan (Mechanicville), Tommy Watkins (Albany), Georgia Wohnsen (Dolgeville).
For further information on exhibitions and programs, call (518) 442-4035 or visit our website at www.albany.edu/museum.