Artist Walkthrough: November 6th, 3:30 PM
Woman Made Gallery (WMG) is pleased to present “5th Midwest Open,” a group exhibition juried by Alison Wong featuring the work of 33 women and non-binary artists located in the 12 Midwestern states. As a demonstration of the artistic excellence from the Midwest, this exhibition puts forth the vibrancy, diversity, and strong feminist voice right here in the Heartland. The exhibition is on view at the gallery.
Juror's Statement
In her jurors’ statement, Alison Wong writes: “Born in Chicago and based in Detroit, I am embedded with a deep affinity for the Midwest and was honored to be invited by Woman Made Gallery to jury their 5th Midwest Open. From the initial review of over 300 submitted artworks, I was impressed by the wide-ranging mix of mediums, styles, and perspectives presented by the women in our region.
Making the selections for the exhibition was a daunting task but I relied on the work to inform the curatorial vision. As a practicing artist and curator, I think of the artworks and artists behind them as the material to craft a larger work in and of itself. I’m searching for deeper connections to reveal themselves, narratives to become interwoven, and new interpretations to emerge.
I wish to acknowledge all the tremendous works that were not included as the final selections were dependent on all the other works and with consideration to Woman Made Gallery’s space. The placement and way in which the viewer navigates and absorbs the work is equally critical. As such, my curatorial selections are not a reflection solely on the merit of each individual artwork but the role they play in the exhibition as well as our cultural and creative community.”
Exhibiting Artists:
Lisa Alberts
Eleanor Anderson
Nikki Anderson
Zoe Beaudry
Marcelyn Bennett Carpenter
Riley Brady
Bridgette Bramlage
Julia Callis
Mary Climes
Candace Compton Pappas
Shahrbanoo Hamzeh
Sharon Harper
Trisha Holt
Margaret Hull
Jessica Jokhi
Kira Keck
JoAnn Kennedy
Violet Luczak
Miriam Martincic
Meredith Morrison
Ahavani Mullen
Sara Nishikawa
Megan Roethler
Leslie Rogers
Erin Schmidt
Ashley Allen Short
Kaitlin Shulman
Dolores Slowinski
Nalani Stolz
Michele Thrane
Katie Vota
Zhaozhao Wang
Hannah Zimmerman
About the Juror: Alison Wong is first-generation Chinese American artist, curator, and educator born in Illinois and based in Detroit, MI since 2004. Wong received her MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, MI and her BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD. Primarily working in the field of painting and drawing, Wong takes inspiration from her personal histories and her professional practice as Director and Curator of Wasserman Projects, founder of Butter Projects, and Adjunct Faculty at College for Creative Studies.
