TUSCUMBIA– Get a glimpse into the future of art through Emergence, a new juried art exhibition at the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art (TVMA). Emergence features 45 innovative and emerging artists. The exhibition will be on display June 1 through July 2.
Jonathan Cain, the museum’s curator says that Emergence is the TVMA’s “first foray into an all contemporary invitational show. This exhibit was intended to draw out the young cutting-edge artists to deliver works speaking to their unique artistic voices. And the artists delivered.”
Earlier this year, TVMA put out a call for digital submissions for Emergence, seeking artists who are working in unique ways, are pushing creative processes to the breaking point, and have something important to express through their work. Artists from all over the United States submitted artwork. Three accomplished artists–Stacey Holloway, Darius Hill, and Wayne Sides– served as jurors and chose which pieces would be included in the show through an online blind judging process.
This process has resulted in an art show of great variety. The museum’s gallery spaces will be filled with everything from crystal-clear photography to sculptures made from cardboard, from paintings depicting the fear of the pandemic to porcelain explorations of colonialism. The exhibit will also be a striking visual experience. People visiting the museum will be greeted with pieces such as seven-foot-tall tapestries suspended from the ceiling, as well as a nine-foot-wide bright red telephone. The tone of the artwork ranges from contemplative to joyful, painful to whimsical.
Emergence juror Stacey Holloway, Associate Professor of Sculpture at the University of
Alabama at Birmingham, said that the artists brought forth excellent and thoughtful work.
“The quality of work submitted for the Emergence exhibition was exceptional, which made it very difficult to jury,” said Holloway. “The works that I selected were created by artists utilizing traditional processes and mediums in a unique way to mirror today’s current issues and ideas.”
The jurors also chose three Juror’s Choice Award winners through blind selection. The awards went to Wesley Hooper, Anna Robertson, and Zack Underwood, all young artists with close ties to the Shoals.
“Even though two of our three jurors are from other parts of the state, they all chose work by artists who either live or have lived locally,” said Cain. “It really demonstrates the depth and vitality of our local art community.”
Alongside Emergence will be two other smaller exhibitions. The Helen Keller Art Show of Alabama is an annual touring show featuring artwork by students from across the state who have visual impairments, blindness, and/or deaf-blindness. Odyssey of the Black Spirit is a video installation featuring contemporary Black artists who were asked to express their response to the question, “How do you see divinity within African American people?” Additionally, the museum will be launching Summer Saturdays, a series of art activities for children and families beginning June 12.
Summer hours for the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art are Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students, and free for members. Admission is also free for education, healthcare, and first responder workers, as part of the Arts for the Frontline program, sponsored by Bank Independent and E.S. Robbins. To learn more about the Tennessee Valley Art Association, which runs the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art and the Ritz Theatre, visit tennesseevalleyarts.org or call 256-383-0533.
Media Release/Jennifer Butler Keeton
Director of Public Affairs and Marketing
Tennessee Valley Art Association
