WATERVILLE, MAINE.- While the Colby College Museum of Art cherishes its works by renowned artists, it also values cutting-edge artists who challenge conventions. The first in an annual series of emerging artist exhibitions, Currents 1: Julianne Swartz, opened. The exhibit will remain on view through February 6.

Julianne Swartz, a New York-based artist whose work was featured in this year's Whitney Biennial, uses light and sound to explore the thresholds of perception. Her installations challenge the viewer to see and hear elements in the environment that previously may have gone unnoticed. In addition to exhibiting her recent sculptures, Swartz will create a site-specific work in the museum�s Davis Gallery.

Swartz, who attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and received an M.F.A. from Bard, has been written about in The New York Times, The Seattle Times and The Washington Post. A New York Times article about the temporarily "homeless" New Museum of Contemporary Art pictured Swartz's "periscope-and-telephone installation 'Can You Hear Me?'" on the sidewalk in front of the Sunshine Hotel.

New this year, Currents will be an annual series of exhibitions by emerging artists who push the boundaries of traditional art forms. Special attention is given to artists working in new media such as installation, video, performance and site-specific works.