2016 National Juried Art Exhibition: Art + Science

Exhibition Dates: March 28 - May 13, 2016
Reception and Juror's Lecture: April 21, 2016, 5-7 p.m., Tom Thomas Gallery

IU East is hosting its 2nd National Juried Exhibition themed “Art + Science.” We were honored, humbled, and overwhelmed to receive 525 submissions from 40 states for this open call from which 48 works by 44 artists from 25 states were chosen for inclusion. Our juror Lily Simonson described her jury process as follows:

"I sought to include works that relate to the theme of art and science in ways that are original and multi-faceted. While the majority of submissions fit the theme in some way, the most distinguished pieces built on the long tradition of art and science working in concert by either saying something new about that intersection, exploring a specific aspect of science, or using scientific methodologies to create the work. Another set of criteria related to each artist's discussion of their work. The strongest submissions were accompanied by a clear written explanation of how the work related to the theme of art and science. At the same time, the conceptual basis for the piece was evident in the work itself, rather than leaning heavily on the accompanying text. Other more pragmatic issues were also considered. For example, it was difficult to accommodate especially long video pieces or physical works that exceeded the maximum dimensions outlined in the call.”

The Juror

Lily Simonson

Lily Simonson is an artist based in Los Angeles who frequently embeds in scientific expeditions to explore and paint remote environments and the otherworldly creatures that inhabit them. She spent three months SCUBA diving and camping in Antarctica as the 2014-15 National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers Awardee. She has also served as the resident artist aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus and the Research Vessel Melville painting organisms harvested from the deep sea. Her works have been exhibited across the US and Europe and her art has appeared in a range of media outlets, including the LA Times, LA Weekly, MTV, the Huffington Post, CBS News, and MSNBC. Simonson holds an MFA from UCLA and a BA from UC Berkeley. She has taught painting and drawing at UC Berkeley, the Norton Simon Museum of Art, and CSU Pomona.

The Artists