Out of a time of physical separation and racial reckoning comes a wealth of vibrant work - 70th A•ONE Exhibition on view at Silvermine Galleries
Silvermine’s A•ONE Exhibition celebrates its 70th year with a dynamic array of work exploring a wide spectrum of forms and ideas. Barbara O’Brien, independent curator and critic and former Executive Director of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, served as Juror for the 70th A•ONE Exhibition, now on view at the Silvermine Galleries through October 16.
“The spring and summer of 2020 have been like no other time in our collective memory,” O’Brien writes of this year’s competition and exhibition. “A confluence of dramas has challenged our sense of equilibrium: a global pandemic, righteous cries for social justice, a demoralizing political environment, and fears for the future of the planet. The board, staff, and members of Silvermine can be proud of the opportunity that A•ONE creates for a dialogue regarding the challenges and ideas of our time as understood through the lens of a national community of artists.”
Out of this time of physical separation and racial reckoning comes a wealth of vibrant work—Alexander Churchill’s uniquely expressive figure painting; Miller Opie’s graceful, abstract sculptures that incorporate a moose clavicle, ribs, and tibia; and Kate Fauvell’s powerful antiracist scenes made of photographs, acrylics, and collage work. This year’s A•ONE is an exhibition of bold colors and emotional impact. Curator Barbara O’Brien honored “works of art in which a personal vocabulary—the voice of the artist—is present.”
Alexander Churchill of Norwalk, CT, was awarded the Board Chair Grand Prize for his paintings. Tian Hui of South Orange, NJ, received the Patricia Warfield Jinishian Figurative Award. The Carole Eisner Sculpture Award went to Arlene Rush of New York, NY, and Miller Opie of Norwalk, CT, received the Mollie & Albert Jacobson Sculpture Award. Jerry’s Artarama of Norwalk Awards went to Caroline Harman of Newtown, CT, and Scott Roberts of New York, NY. June Ahrens of Stamford, CT; Francine Gintoff of East Hampton, CT; Ellen Jacob of New York, NY; Dana Kotler of Weehawken, NJ; and Miguel Rivera of Kansas City, MO, each received Awards of Excellence.
For nearly three decades Barbara O’Brien’s curatorial practice has focused on the art and artists of our time. She was Executive Director of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri, from 2012–2017, after serving as chief curator and director of exhibitions since 2009. In 2018 and 2019, she was a consulting curator for the Housatonic Museum of Art in Bridgeport, CT. From 2003–2006 O’Brien was editor-in-chief of Art New England magazine. She earned an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and in 2006 was awarded the RISD national alumni award for professional achievement. O’Brien is an elected member of AICA-USA, the international organization of art critics.
Throughout its history, Silvermine’s signature exhibition has featured the work of many prominent artists including Louise Nevelson, Elaine de Kooning, and Milton Avery, and jurors have included major critics, curators, and directors from influential art institutions. A•ONE was established in 1949 as the New England Exhibition, a regional exhibit. It was known most recently as Art of the Northeast and is now national in scope.
Silvermine Galleries are open to the public, and the exhibition can also viewed at silvermineart.org. It is recommended that visitors to the galleries make an appointment by calling (203) 9669700 x 3 or emailing sacgallery@silvermineart.org .Safety protocols are in place to keep everyone as safe as possible.
Silvermine’s A•ONE Exhibition celebrates its 70th year with a dynamic array of work exploring a wide spectrum of forms and ideas. Barbara O’Brien, independent curator and critic and former Executive Director of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, served as Juror for the 70th A•ONE Exhibition, now on view at the Silvermine Galleries through October 16.
“The spring and summer of 2020 have been like no other time in our collective memory,” O’Brien writes of this year’s competition and exhibition. “A confluence of dramas has challenged our sense of equilibrium: a global pandemic, righteous cries for social justice, a demoralizing political environment, and fears for the future of the planet. The board, staff, and members of Silvermine can be proud of the opportunity that A•ONE creates for a dialogue regarding the challenges and ideas of our time as understood through the lens of a national community of artists.”
Out of this time of physical separation and racial reckoning comes a wealth of vibrant work—Alexander Churchill’s uniquely expressive figure painting; Miller Opie’s graceful, abstract sculptures that incorporate a moose clavicle, ribs, and tibia; and Kate Fauvell’s powerful antiracist scenes made of photographs, acrylics, and collage work. This year’s A•ONE is an exhibition of bold colors and emotional impact. Curator Barbara O’Brien honored “works of art in which a personal vocabulary—the voice of the artist—is present.”
Alexander Churchill of Norwalk, CT, was awarded the Board Chair Grand Prize for his paintings. Tian Hui of South Orange, NJ, received the Patricia Warfield Jinishian Figurative Award. The Carole Eisner Sculpture Award went to Arlene Rush of New York, NY, and Miller Opie of Norwalk, CT, received the Mollie & Albert Jacobson Sculpture Award. Jerry’s Artarama of Norwalk Awards went to Caroline Harman of Newtown, CT, and Scott Roberts of New York, NY. June Ahrens of Stamford, CT; Francine Gintoff of East Hampton, CT; Ellen Jacob of New York, NY; Dana Kotler of Weehawken, NJ; and Miguel Rivera of Kansas City, MO, each received Awards of Excellence.
For nearly three decades Barbara O’Brien’s curatorial practice has focused on the art and artists of our time. She was Executive Director of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri, from 2012–2017, after serving as chief curator and director of exhibitions since 2009. In 2018 and 2019, she was a consulting curator for the Housatonic Museum of Art in Bridgeport, CT. From 2003–2006 O’Brien was editor-in-chief of Art New England magazine. She earned an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and in 2006 was awarded the RISD national alumni award for professional achievement. O’Brien is an elected member of AICA-USA, the international organization of art critics.
Throughout its history, Silvermine’s signature exhibition has featured the work of many prominent artists including Louise Nevelson, Elaine de Kooning, and Milton Avery, and jurors have included major critics, curators, and directors from influential art institutions. A•ONE was established in 1949 as the New England Exhibition, a regional exhibit. It was known most recently as Art of the Northeast and is now national in scope.
Silvermine Galleries are open to the public, and the exhibition can also viewed at silvermineart.org. It is recommended that visitors to the galleries make an appointment by calling (203) 9669700 x 3 or emailing sacgallery@silvermineart.org .Safety protocols are in place to keep everyone as safe as possible.