(Courtesy Image)
Exhibition Dates: January 8- February 27, 2011
Reception: January 13, 6-8pm artists reception; Gallery talk 7pm with Jurors Amy Cavanaugh Royce and Briony Hynson Evans
Special Programming:
February 4, 7-9pm: “Beyond Borders” film screening & panel discussion led by guest speaker, Executive Producer, Simon Burrow
February 10, 7pm: SPARK – a spoken word event inspired by the exhibition
Torpedo Factory Art Center’s Target Gallery opens their 2011 Exhibition Season with Mixing Bowl, an exhibition examining the hot topic issue of immigration in America. Artists were invited to submit work for consideration addressing their personal views on immigration and diversity in America today. Our jurors, Amy Cavanaugh Royce and Briony Evans Hynson, selected 16 artists for the exhibition. The work on view ranges from a large-scale video installation, photorealistic drawings, collage, and assemblage to photography. Artists in the exhibit include: Nathan Bond (NY), Anne Dushanko Dobek (NJ), Chris Dutch (WV) and Amy Williams (WV), Corey Escoto (PA), Claire Feng (MD), Hugh Jones (VA), Carolina Rubio MacWright (NY), Barbara McIntyre (CA), Jennifer Nuttall (TX), Indrani Nayargall (NC), Joseph Ostraff (UT), So Yoon Lym (NJ), Kitty Sweet Winslow (CT), Stephanie Williams (VA), and Mara Zaslove (CA).
The exhibition opens January 8 and runs through February 27. A reception to meet the artists and listen to the jurors’ talk will be during our Second Thursday Art Night, Wintery Mix, on January 13, from 6-8pm. Special programming for this exhibition includes a free film night on Friday, February 4, 7-9pm. Screening of the film “Beyond Borders” with guest Simon Burrow, Executive Producer. Burrow will lead a panel comprised of 3-4 panelists discussing the film, the issues of legal and illegal immigration, and personal stories of Immigration in America. Then on Thursday, February 10, 7pm, the local art and writing group, SPARK, will present a spoken word event in the gallery, inspired by the exhibit.
Juror Information:
Our jurors are Amy Cavanaugh Royce, Honfleur Gallery’s Director of Representation, and Briony Evans Hynson, the Honfleur Gallery’s Creative Director. Honfleur Gallery is based in Washington DC and is known for its socially minded exhibitions and installations.
Juror, Briony Evans Hynson: "The subject matter has personal significance for me. In 1985, I emigrated with my parents and sister from England to the USA. Growing up in ‘the states’ gave me ample opportunity to consider the daily lives and experiences of Americans, Americans from other countries and foreigners. As with many other international kids, I gravitated towards the people that had more diverse backgrounds, and their acceptance of innate differences that made life easier. Upon reflection, it seems we sensed the necessity of rich diversity and the value of differing worldviews, values and opinions."
Juror Amy Cavanaugh Royce: "My personal approach to selecting the works for this timely and provocative exhibit began with artistry and ended with more of a visceral response. Each artist in this show had something specific to say, even in the abstract. There was no loss of clear visual-language. The perception of that information is the heart of the show."
Beyond Borders Film Synopsis:
Beyond Borders moves past the headlines and takes an in-depth look at the hot-button issues of legal and illegal immigration. The film explores the psychological forces driving the immigration controversy from both sides of the debate. Anti-immigration activists demand we stop this "illegal alien invasion,” while some pro-immigration forces speak of a Reconquista, a reclaiming of the American Southwest by Mexico. In search of a middle ground, Beyond Borders travels across the U.S. and beyond to give voices to those on the front-line of this issue, including candid interviews with Border Patrol agents, radio celebrities, demographers, the Minute Men, potential migrants, and a host of experts including Noam Chomsky (Distorted Morality) and Gustavo Arellano (Ask A Mexican). Beyond Borders is an entertaining and enlightening film that asks: Is migration a basic human right? Executive Producer, Simon Burrow will lead a panel discussion immediately following the film.
Background on SPARK:
Open to writers, musicians, and visual artists; SPARK is a participatory creativity event that takes place four times each year. Amy Souza founded SPARK in 2008 and runs the project from her home in Arlington, Virginia. When she’s not cajoling people to join SPARK, setting up partner pairs, nagging people about deadlines, working on the website, or planning SPARK’s Next Big Thing, she writes, edits, paints, and walks dogs. Amy has a master’s degree in radio and television from San Francisco State University. In 2009, she received an honorable mention in the Writer’s Digest 78th Annual Writing Competition for her Best Friends Magazine feature article, “Marching Orders: What happens to military pets when their owners are deployed?”
Gallery Information:
The Target Gallery, national exhibition space of the Torpedo Factory, promotes high standards of art by continuously exploring new ideas through the visual media in a schedule of national and international exhibitions. Located on the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria, VA. The gallery is open daily from 10-6pm and until 9pm on Thursdays. To learn more about the gallery and to view the exhibition online, please visit our website at www.torpedofactory.org. Entire exhibit will be online beginning January 8.