Last modified: Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Kinsey Institute 2009 Juried Art Show opens May 29
WHAT:
The Kinsey Institute 2009 Juried Art Show
WHERE:
SoFA Gallery, 1201 E. Seventh St., Bloomington
WHEN:
Opening reception May 29, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., show continues through July 31
ADMISSION:
Free, visitors should be 18 or older or accompanied by an adult
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2009
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Kinsey Institute 2009 Juried Art Show, featuring paintings, prints, photographs, ceramics, wearable art, metalwork, fiber art and video installations, opens May 29 in the SoFA Gallery at Indiana University Bloomington.
The fourth annual show includes artwork by local, national and international artists. The collaboration with the School of Fine Arts Gallery has allowed the show to expand substantially to 120 artworks, recognizing the growing interest in the juried show, which saw submissions more than double this year.
"We received entries from across the United States and nearly a dozen countries," said Catherine Johnson-Roehr, curator of art, artifacts and photographs at The Kinsey Institute.
The artworks explore themes related to sex, gender, eroticism, reproduction, sexuality, romantic relationships and the human figure. One of the featured artists is California photographer John Brennan, who for the past 12 years has been traveling to Nevada's Black Rock Desert to photograph participants in the "Burning Man" project. He arrives a few days early to set up a temporary studio, where he photographed "Two Women" in 2004.
"This collaborative effort with the Kinsey Institute is one of many that we have hosted at the SoFA Gallery over the years, starting with a show called 'Gender Affects' in 1996," said SoFA Gallery director Betsy Stirratt. "These exhibits are critical to our mission to provide an opportunity for interaction with artists, scientists and scholars to produce exhibits that interpret visual contemporary themes in a broader scientific and humanities context. "
"The show gives us the opportunity to exhibit an extraordinary range of contemporary art created by professional, amateur and student artists working in a wide variety of media," Johnson-Roehr said.
Jeff Rothenberg, M.D., an associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the IU School of Medicine, is showing his glass sculpture "The 12 Tribes (aka: Phallism)." He said the SoFA Gallery and the art show provide an occasion for visitors to meet, discuss, explore and observe important yet sometimes sensitive issues in a non-threatening environment.
"I was excited to learn that the art show was moving to the SoFA, which offers increased visibility," he said. "As an OB/GYN I deal on a daily basis with sexuality and reproductive issues, and I know all too well that these can be difficult issues for people to discuss and explore verbally. As an artist, I realize that art is an important vehicle to help understand social and cultural differences that exist in society. Having an art exhibition dedicated to exploring sexuality, reproduction and the human form is a wonderful opportunity."
The juror for the 2009 competition is Jennifer Cahn, an art historian and curator at the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art in Texas. Cahn has been a curator for 20 years, working in museums in California, New York, Oregon, Texas and St. Petersburg, Russia.
"The works submitted for this year's Kinsey art exhibition were very impressive, not only for their high level of technical and artistic skill -- particularly in the ceramic and jewelry fields -- but also because of the depth of creativity and insight the artists provide," Cahn said. "In every media represented, from painting and prints to photography and sculpture, the diversity of views, issues and voices spoke eloquently about the passions, debates and often angst that we -- humanity -- experience in the world of sexuality. Bravo!"
The Kinsey Institute will also hold an open house on Saturday, May 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Kinsey Institute is located in Morrison Hall, 1165 E. Third St. in Bloomington. Visitors will have the opportunity to view artworks from the permanent collection, historical photographs illustrating the history of The Kinsey Institute and to learn about current research projects. They may also see "Eros in Asia: Erotic Art from Iran to Japan" in the Kinsey Institute Gallery. This exhibition features more than 70 works of art from across the Asian continent.
For more about the 2009 Juried Art Show at SoFA Gallery and the open house at The Kinsey Institute, visit https://www.kinseyinstitute.org/services/gallery/jeas/2009/opening_reception.php.
SoFA Gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday. For more information about SoFA Gallery, visit https://www.indiana.edu/~sofa/.
For more information about the 2009 Juried Art Show, contact Catherine Johnson-Roehr at 812-855-8890 or catjohns@indiana.edu. For additional assistance, contact Jennifer Bass at 812-855-7686 or jbass@indiana.edu.
