Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum Presents Regional Biennial Juried Sculpture Exhibition

Works from 87 artists on display through October 2nd

    icon Jul 15, 2021
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The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, which is located out at Saginaw Valley State University, invites you to celebrate some of Michigan’s best sculptors at this year’s  “2021 Regional Biennial Juried Sculpture Exhibition, which will be on display now through October 2nd..

Stephanie James, Curator and Collection Educator for the Mott-Warsh Collection in Flint, MI, juried the exhibition and selected the merit award winners from 211 artworks submitted by 87 artists from the state of Michigan and Northern Indiana. “We are so grateful to Juror Stephanie James for her time, dedication, and expertise in narrowing down the number of artworks to be included from 211 to the select 43 works in the final exhibition — a truly difficult task given the outstanding submissions we received this year,” states Director, Megan McAdow.

“The exhibition was to be held last year, but due to the pandemic, we postponed it to this year. It’s important that the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum support living artists,” continues McAdow. “We are excited to hold the exhibition again both in-person and in online formats with a complimentary Virtual Exhibition and additional programming for all ages. The online exhibition format allows the Museum to host artwork, recorded artist statements, educational programs, and information indefinitely for the public to enjoy.”

This year’s top honorees consist of first place winner Ray Katz for his piece ‘Infinity’, which was made of brushed aluminum, welded and fabricated; Herb Babcock who crafted the piece ‘Premonition’ out of cast glass and steel; and third place winner Lee Brown for ‘Winged Totem III’, which was created out of cedar, enamel and limestone.

In 2008 the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum held its first “Regional Biennial Juried Sculpture Exhibition.”  Although there are many venues that host juried exhibitions, this one is unique because it is entirely devoted to three-dimensional artworks. and was initiated to support artists working in sculpture within 200 miles of Saginaw, Michigan.

The exhibition, which over the years has displayed the work of some of Michigan and Northern Indiana’s finest sculptors, has provided the Great Lakes Bay Region with the quality artwork usually seen in large metropolitan areas. Sculptures are representational, abstract and non-representational created in a wide variety of media and styles. The artists themselves represent a range of unique careers and backgrounds. Overall, the exhibition boasts a unique variety of sculptural forms.

According to Curator of Education and Exhibition Coordinator Andrea Ondish, the Regional Bieenial Scultpure Exhibition has grown steadily since its inception. “When we started this 12 years ago we had 30 to 40 artists submit their work, then it went to up 50, and this year we had 87 artists involved. It’s unique within the state because it focuses upon 3-dimensional artwork, which reflects the mission of our museum to focus upon sculpture.  Artworks that are submitted to this exhibition comprise a great cross section of what’s happening today in the art world.“

The exhibition juror, Stephanie James, is a curator of modern and contemporary art with a focus on art of the African Diaspora. She holds an MA in art history from Wayne State University and a BFA in drawing, along with teaching certification, from Eastern Michigan University. She is the Curator and Collection Educator for the Mott-Warsh Collection—one of the largest privately owned collections of African American art in the United States.

“What a pleasure it was to serve as juror for the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum’s ‘2021 Regional Biennial Juried Sculpture Exhibition’ and see the work being produced by some of our region’s most talented artists,” states James. “It was difficult to narrow down my selections for this show. I commend all the artists, first for the act of creating a work of art, and secondly for sharing it with the community at large. I applaud the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum for providing a forum for this exchange to take place.”

Prior to her work with the Mott-Warsh Collection, she worked at the Detroit Institute of Arts for nearly 16 years, serving as assistant curator of the General Motors Center for African American Art (2002-2009) and in various appointments in the museum’s education department (1993-2002). Additionally, she has contracted with Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of African American History and Culture as a member of their “Save Our African American Treasures” team of curators and conservators.

Ms. James has organized numerous exhibitions, most recently “The Essential Self: Meditations on the Politics of Identity” at the Detroit Artists Market (2015). She is a frequent participant in educational programming on the arts and has authored several essays on contemporary American artists.

When asked if she’s notice and new trends or evolutions of focus with this latest crop of submissions, Ondish mentions several elements.  “I’ve noticed increased use of natural materials that are transformed in different ways:  fiber pieces that use branches or incorporate natural imagery.  One piece looks like bronze but is really made of resin through this new cold-cast method.”

Additional educational and public programming will be announced in the coming weeks and include virtual studio visits and artist talks with winning sculptors. Make and Take Saturdays will return at the end of July.

This exhibit is made possible with grant support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. All artists awards are sponsored by Huntington Bank.

The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum is located on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University, 7400 Bay Road, University Center.  Museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (989) 964-7125 or visit the Museum’s website at www.marshallfredericks.org.

 

 

 

 

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