Finalists for the Brink Award at the Henry Gallery are Matt Browning (Seattle); the unlinkable Alex Felton (Portland); Aaron Flint Jamison (Portland); Isaac Layman (Seattle); Gareth Moore (Vancouver BC), and Isabelle Pauwels (Vancouver BC).
The selection committee – Henry director Sylvia Wolf and curators Elizabeth Brown and Sara
Krajewski; Seattle artist Joe Park; Portland artist Harrell Fletcher;
Vancouver’s Contemporary Art Gallery director, Christina Ritchie; and
arts patrons John and Shari Behnke – will announce the winner April 17, 8 p.m. at the Henry. The award was the Behnkes’ idea, which they bankrolled.
What’s the Brink? Explained here, although the Henry responded to criticism and took out academic requirements. More on the Henry’s Hang Blog Hankblog.
It’s Hankblog!
Or are you making a joke?
Regardless, thanks for posting. We’re excited about the Brink – it’s a great group of artists, and nominators from the community made very strong, exciting choices.
PS.
We never “took out” academic requirements for nominees – they were never there in the first place. “Eligible artists will have earned within the last five years an MFA or equivalent academic degree, or can provide other evidence that demonstrates the beginning of a professional artistic career…”
The reason the phrase “can provide other evidence that demonstrates the beginning of a professional artistic career…” was included precisely so artists without degrees, or with different kinds of experience, could be nominated.
Ms B: It should be Hang Blog. Why Hankblog? Let there be air, and let there be light. Running words together is the equivalent of mumbling. Why mumble when you can be precise simply by hitting the space bar? It is, however, your site, so I’ll change the title to reflect your misjudgment.
And about your P.S.: Your people tiptoed away from the academics after the entire town sniggered. Participants on the jury have admitted it. An artist needs an MFA like a fish needs a bicycle.
Regina
Uh, Betsey? I thought you were referring to the fact I broke Hankblog into two words, not that I inadvertently spelled Hank as Hang. So my comments about air and light in typing? Never mind. Regina
C’mon. Who sniggered?
The point was never “you have an MFA” or “you have a BFA.” The award is designed for an artist within five years of beginning a professional career.
I sent out that press release, and I helped to draft the call for nominators – there was NEVER a requirement for an MFA, in all our conversations planning these communications – we considered the “fish / bicycle” problem, and we wanted to leave the door open for artists without degrees. It was part of the original design of the call for artists and nominators – there was no backpedaling. As I mentioned in the previous comment, an MFA was suggested as one way, among others, to demonstrate “the beginning of a professional artistic career…” -other evidence was always welcome.
Just read the original nomination guidelines again, and let’s kiss and make up. It’s a great list, we had amazing nominees, the selection panel is awesome – and this is an exciting new program.