Phoenix Art Museum presents exhibition of work by Arizona-based artists

Mar, 28, 2018

Exhibitions and Special InstallationsModern and Contemporary Art

Phoenix Art Museum presents exhibition of work by Arizona-based artists

The 2017 Contemporary Forum award and grants recipients’ work will be on view from May 23 through November 4, 2018

PHOENIX (March 28, 2018) – From May 23 through November 4, 2018, Phoenix Art Museum will present an exhibition of Contemporary Forum’s 2017 award and grants recipients. Contemporary Forum, a support group of Phoenix Art Museum, offers two significant opportunities for artist recognition each year: the Arlene and Morton Scult Contemporary Forum Artist Award, which recognizes a mid-career Arizona artist who has demonstrated a sustained commitment to their chosen medium, continuous artistic growth, and consistent artistic production; and the Artists’ Grants, which encourage emerging contemporary artists in Arizona. The upcoming exhibition will feature a mid-career survey of the Scult Award recipient’s work, as well as work by the Artists’ Grants recipients created expressly for this exhibition.

“We are pleased to announce this exhibition of significant Arizona-based artists,” said Amada Cruz, the Sybil Harrington Director and CEO of Phoenix Art Museum. “Contemporary Forum is instrumental in its support of the Museum’s efforts to bring the best local, national, and international contemporary artists to our galleries. We are excited to share the work of some of Arizona’s finest emerging and established contemporary artists with our visitors.”

The exhibition will feature work by Matt Magee, the 2017 recipient of the Arlene and Morton Scult Contemporary Forum Artist Award. This award recognizes a mid-career Arizona artist, chosen from a pool of eligible candidates. Award recipients are chosen on the basis of the following criteria:

• The artist has been working as a professional artist in Arizona for a minimum of four (4) consecutive years,
• Is presently making and exhibiting new work,
• Has demonstrated significant artistic growth over the course of their career,
• And will be chosen based on the work they are currently producing, in addition to work that they have produced in the past.

Working in painting, drawing, sculpture, and assemblage, Magee creates art that responds to earlier abstractionists but also references current scientific, ecological, and technological advancements. He is attuned to language and has dedicated entire works to a single phrase or word, creating a unique exploration of meaning in a symbolic—almost hieroglyphic—visual format. Green Standard, Magee’s 2007 tapestry-like assemblage of cut-up detergent bottles, is exemplary of the artist’s multidisciplinary approach, as it melds high formalism and social responsibility.

The upcoming exhibition will also feature work by the 2017 Artists’ Grants recipients: Laura Spalding Best, Jennifer Day, Casey Farina, and Christopher Jagmin. The Artists’ Grants foster the creation of contemporary art by encouraging emerging artists working in Arizona. From a competitive pool of applicants who respond to an annual open call, Artists’ Grants recipients are selected by a jury.

Call for 2018 Submissions

Contemporary Forum is now accepting submissions for the 2018 Artists’ Grants. Applications are due on April 27, 2018, and a panel of qualified judges will select the recipients. The selection committee will award up to five grants of $2,000 each. The grants are intended to provide recognition and financial support for emerging professional artists focused on establishing their careers.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Artists must be considered emerging artists, meeting at least one of the following criteria:
  • Individuals who have recently completed degree programs;
  • Artists whose work has been shown in Arizona but not extensively outside of the state;
  • Individuals returning to art after a hiatus.
• Artists working in all media, including painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, new media, performance, photography, and video, may apply.
• Artists must be Arizona residents.
• Artwork must have been produced within the last two years.
• Artists may not be enrolled in a college degree program.
• Previous recipients of the Artists’ Grants are ineligible.

Submission Requirements:

Applications must be submitted online and include:

• Artist name, street address, email address, and telephone number
• Resume/CV
• Artist statement (optional; 150 words or less)
• Description of work (title, date, medium, dimensions)
• Three JPEGS or three videos (not to exceed three minutes each) of submitted artwork.
  • Please note: Videos exceeding three minutes will not be accepted.

Submission Deadline:

All materials must be submitted by Friday, April 27, 2018. Submit applications to bit.ly/CFCall2018. Please email support-cf@phxart.org with any questions.

Related Programs

Artist Lecture and Announcement of 2018 Grants and Scult Award Recipients

May 23 | 6:30 p.m.

Celebrate the opening of the 2018 Contemporary Forum exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum, and meet the artists in person!

Join us for an exclusive lecture by Matt Magee, the 2017 Arlene and Morton Scult Contemporary Forum Artist Award recipient. Following the lecture, the 2018 winners of the Contemporary Forum Artists’ Grants and the Arlene and Morton Scult Contemporary Forum Artist Award will be announced!

Sponsored by Fennemore Craig, P.C.

About the Exhibition

The Contemporary Forum Award Recipients’ Exhibition will be on view from May 23 through November 4, 2018 in the Marshall and Hendler galleries. This exhibition is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and made possible through the generosity of Arlene and Morton Scult, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and Contemporary Forum. For more information, please visit phxart.org/exhibition/cf2018.

Admission is free for Museum Members; veterans, active-duty, and retired military personnel; Maricopa Community College students, staff, and faculty (with ID); and youth aged 5 and under. Entrance to the exhibition is included in general admission for the general public. During voluntary-donation, free-access times, the exhibition is offered free to the general public. Free-access times include Wednesdays from 3 – 9 pm, the First Fridays of every month from 6 – 10 pm, and the second weekend of each month (Second Saturdays from 10 am – 5 pm and Second Sundays from noon –  5pm). For a full breakdown of general admission prices and hours, see bit.ly/VisitPhxArt.

To request interviews, contact Phoenix Art Museum’s Marketing and Communications Office at 602.257.2105 or email margaree.bigler@phxart.org. Media images for this exhibition are available at bit.ly/2017CFAwards.

About Phoenix Art Museum

Phoenix Art Museum has provided access to visual arts and educational programs in Arizona for more than 50 years and is the largest art museum in the Southwestern United States. In addition to an annual calendar of special exhibitions, Phoenix Art Museum presents collection galleries drawn from more than 18,000 objects of modern and contemporary art, fashion design, and photography, as well as American, Asian, Latin American, and European art. Each month, the Museum hosts a wide variety of public programs, including lectures, performances, tours, workshops, and film screenings designed for audiences of all ages to enjoy. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call the 24-hour recorded information line at 602.257.1222.

About Contemporary Forum

Contemporary Forum is a dynamic support group whose mission is to support contemporary art development at Phoenix Art

Museum. Contemporary Forum is dedicated to promoting interest in and understanding of contemporary art through acquisitions, exhibition sponsorship, and educational programs.