Exhibition Dates: January 24 – March 1, 2015
Reception: Thursday, February 12 • 6-8 pm • Gallery Talk with Jeff Huntington, 7 pm
Back by popular demand, In the Flesh 5 is an examination of contemporary figurative art. This all-media exhibition features work by 18 artists, all of whom express the human form in a unique and thought-provoking way.
Artists on view:
- Mark Thomas Anderson (VA)
- Joseph Bellofatto Jr. (VA)
- Michelle Bennett (NY)
- Stacy Cantrell (VA)
- Erika Cleveland (DC)
- Sarah Coote (PA)
- Spencer Corbett (MI)
- T.P. Dunn (TN)
- Donna Faranda (NY)
- Oren Goldenberg (MI)
- Soomin Ham (VA)
- Isabelle Klauder (NC)
- Arthur Kwon Lee (VA)
- Amanda Muhlena (IL)
- Molly Marie Nuzzo (MD)
- Lauren Amalia Redding (NY)
- SK Sullivan (NY)
- Gray Swartzel (NY)
Juror Statement by Jeff Huntington
“Before expression, there is nothing but a vague fever, and only the work itself, completed and understood, will prove that there was something rather than nothing to be found there.” – Maurice Merleau-Ponty
The responsibility of a juror is not to be taken lightly. It is an honor and a privilege. For me, it is a complex and exhaustive editing process – one that involves scrupulous contemplation, visualization and calculation. My goal in selecting work for In the Flesh 5 was to assemble a cohesive, thought-provoking body of work demonstrating a broad range of mediums, approaches and conceptual ideas.
A few of the challenges I faced throughout this endeavor were: trusting digital reproductions, space limitations, and inevitably having to omit numerous accomplished, high-caliber works of art in order to fit within the confines of the gallery’s floor plan. Out of 161 entries, 22 final selections were made.
As I took to the task of whittling down, I considered the initial visual impact of the work without knowledge of its title, medium, dimensions, and creator. Certain pieces elicited in me an instant visceral reaction, or a “vague fever”: curiosity, discomfort, and/or enjoyment. After studying the artwork summary, I re-examined each image, pondering whether the work compelled me to ask questions; I observed craftsmanship and attention to detail; did the artist’s work transform or transcend the medium(s) used? Then I considered each work in the context of the exhibition’s theme, contemplating how each of the works interact and contribute to the overall feeling of the exhibition.
During this process, a thread began to emerge. The selected works, through varied mediums and interpretations, whether overt or figurative in meaning, evoke a sense of flesh, physicality, or different ideas about human presence. The final decisions were what I considered to be successful interpretations of the theme and a body of work that collectively invites curiosity.
Juror Bio
Jeff Huntington received an MFA in 1997 from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BFA in 1995 from the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC. His work has been included in more than eighty exhibitions nationally and internationally over the past 25 years. His paintings are in private and public collections throughout the world, including The Rockford Art Museum in Rockford, Illinois and in U.S. embassies in the Philippines and Panama. Reviews of his work have been featured in numerous publications, including The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The New York Times, Juxtapoz, New Art Examiner, as well as a features on CNBC and NPR. Some awards received include The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Fellowship (Canada), The Jacob Kainen Award for Excellence in Figurative Painting, a Maryland State Arts Council grant and The Ethel Lorraine Bernstein Memorial Award for Excellence in Painting. Huntington is currently an adjunct faculty member at the Corcoran in Washington, DC. His paintings are represented by Porter Contemporary in New York City, Reyes+Davis in Washington, DC, Gallery 1301 in Baltimore, MD, and The Annapolis Collection Gallery in Annapolis, MD.
Target Gallery is the contemporary national and international exhibition space for the Torpedo Factory Art Center. The gallery hosts nine exhibitions annually–some juried, some curated–featuring a variety of themes, artists and media.
