LOUISVILLE, KY.- KMAC Museum announces the opening of the KMAC Triennial Crown of Rays exhibition showcasing contemporary art of the Commonwealth. The exhibition will run through December 1, 2019.
The title of the exhibition is inspired by the goldenrod, the official state flower of Kentucky. Specifically, it calls upon the Crown of Rays, a cultivated plant within the Goldenrod genus. With its star-like appearance and deep roots in the area, it symbolizes all creative thinkers, makers and citizens of Kentucky, both native and foreign.
“We’re thrilled to introduce this new triennial exhibition of contemporary art to the region,” says KMAC Museum Curator Joey Yates. “The selected artists reflect the biodiversity of the state, as each firmly stems from this environment and is a vibrant part of our contemporary art ecosystem.”
Submissions for the first KMAC Triennial were open between December of 2018 and February of 2019. Over 220 artists who have spent formative years living in Kentucky submitted portfolios. These submissions were then reviewed by a committee of art professionals from around the state, led by KMAC Curator Joey Yates: Alice Gray Stites, Chief Curator and Museum Director at 21c; Dr. Emily Elizabeth Goodman, Curator and Assistant Professor of Art History at Transylvania University; and Matt Distel, Exhibitions Director at the Carnegie in Covington, KY.
From this process, 20 artists representing diverse practices were then selected to participate and develop new work for the exhibition. Comprised of artworks that preserve certain traditions like weaving, crocheting, drawing, painting, and ceramics, this Triennial will also include the newer territories of conceptual photography, video, sound, installation and performance.
KMAC Triennial 2019 Featured Artists:
Philis Alvic - Lexington, KY • Jimmy Angelina - Louisville, KY • Mary Carothers - Louisville, KY • Andrew Cozzens - Louisville, KY • Rachel Frank - Brooklyn, NY • Vinhay Keo - Van Nuys, CA • Lori Larusso - Lexington, KY • Sarah Lasley - San Antonio, TX • Bette Levy - Louisville, KY • Elizabeth Mesa-Gaido - Morehead, KY • John Harlan Norris - Lexington, KY • Kristin Richards - Lexington, KY • Aaron Rosenblum - Louisville, KY • Harry Sanchez Jr. - Dayton, KY • Vian Sora - Louisville, KY • Hunter Stamps - Lexington, KY • Sean Starowitz - Bloomington, IN • Kiptoo Tarus - Lexington, KY • Melissa Vandenberg - Richmond, KY • Casey James Wilson - Lexington, KY
