A reader made me aware of an email posted to WPA\C's Web site in regard to the upcoming Options 2005 show. The email was written by Dr. Libby Lumpkin, curator of the show. I guess this is supposed to be an update on the process. Read the entire interview here, but continue below for an excerpt I found particularly interesting.
I suggested that, in addition to selecting artists from the official pool of applicants, I be allowed to tour the graduate school studios in the region. I know how difficult it is for young artists to keep abreast of all the exhibition opportunities available to them, and I wanted to make sure that no deserving graduate student would be excluded for not having submitted an application.
This raises so many questions in my mind, but I'd like to open this up for discussion. What do you think about Dr. Lumpkin's comments?
It's BS. If a grad student can't get off their ass and apply, too bad. I'm WAY WAY busier now than I ever was a grad student, and I bet most artists not making a complete living off their work are too.
And which grad programs were graced with the good Doctor's presence? Only DC ones? VCU? Did she really go to ALL the schools in the region? Again, BS inside BS.
and no, I don't know if I'm in or not yet, so this isn't sour grapes yet....
Posted by: wwc | Wednesday, May 04, 2005 at 10:10 PM
ok, reading her statement I see that she only hit DC area schools, Maryland Institute and VCU. Tht's crap inside crap - the show was open to all artists in DC, Maryland and Virginia, and I'm sure there's more grad programs than the ones she looked at. This kind of smells.
BTW, did you know that the Fantastic Four's mailman was Willie Lumpkin? and relation?
Posted by: wwc | Wednesday, May 04, 2005 at 10:16 PM
yeah, i just recieved my "sorry your work didn't fit in with my vision" postcard from libby...and i could accept that but that interview just proves so much of what i feared would be the post-barlow version of the show...
it sounded like phillip really wanted to get some diversity in the show for a change...he had mentioned wanting to represent more of the multicultural side of the DCs art community as well as artists living and working in DC. He explained that most of the grad students leave the area after finishing school and he really wanted a show that represented what was happening in the DC area.
so now it really seems like the Corcoran/WPA is falling back on its usual formula with a curator who wants to play it safe...
i'll leave you with a quote from LL herself...
"My goal is less to present a fair survey of Washington's diverse and substantial pool
of professional-level artists, than to showcase promising new talent alongside local mature artists whose vision heretofore has been underappreciated."
Posted by: matt | Thursday, May 05, 2005 at 01:13 AM
I'll wait for the show.
Posted by: Joseph Barbaccia | Thursday, May 05, 2005 at 07:17 AM
Yeah, I'm with you Joseph. Perhaps all of this will culminate in an outstanding show. Perhaps it won't. I'll reserve final judgment until I see the results.
But hey! I still haven't been rejected! Of course, my application is likely on the bottom of the pile...
Posted by: J.T. Kirkland | Thursday, May 05, 2005 at 09:19 AM
Be thankfull that at least you all live in a city that makes some effort to support local artists- where I live a show like this would is a pipe dream. Good luck JT with your studio visit and getting in the show. I also liked Matt's work on his site esp. the sculpture.
Posted by: Mark | Saturday, May 07, 2005 at 02:36 AM
Thanks Mark!!
Posted by: J.T. Kirkland | Saturday, May 07, 2005 at 04:17 PM