juror's statement - Kevin hughes

It was an honor and a privilege to juror such a visually strong body of work. “Putting it Together,” an exhibition title for work based on the concept of “assemblage,” was interpreted as a broad and diverse concept as evident by the work submitted for review. From the conventional ways of handling a variety of media to the use of digital manipulation, there were works that spanned concepts from “naïve art” to works from individuals who have trained in academia and have worked with their chosen media for years.

I view “art” as a visual language where we communicate our lives through a variety of ways with no set limit on what materials are used or how we express ourselves. From the submitted entries, I strove to bring together a body of work that is visually strong in composition, concept, subject matter, and craftsmanship. Compositions that are dynamic to subtle in how the artists utilized space to reflect their ideas. Works that are inspired by or pay homage to previous artists who created powerful works of assemblage or those based on the grid using a plethora of materials. There are pieces that make strong and challenging comments on social “double” standards in our culture, and those that possess hints of visual “decoration.” Through the materials used, artists have expressed emotions ranging from brooding to the sublime that surprised me, made me laugh, and frightened me.

“Putting it Together” is an “assemblage” of media, methods of construction that vary from conventional to digital, concepts and subject matter brought together by a strong use of exemplary craftsmanship. Please enjoy the exhibition and our vision of what putting it together implies.