Rites of Spring Exhibit opened March 27

On March 27, 227 people attended the free opening of  Morris Arts’ latest juried exhibition, Rites of Spring, honoring the 100th Anniversary of Igor Stravinsky’s influential ballet score and the controversial Armory show in NYC, touted as the first International Exhibition of Modern Art.  The avant-garde nature of Stravinsky’s score introduced dramatically new approaches to tonality, meter and rhythm. In a narrative sense, Stravinsky’s work draws upon Russian pagan rites in honor of spring. Similarly, the Armory Show, which opened in March of that same year, reflected breaks with artistic traditions with the introduction of new visual languages such as Cubism, Fauvism and Futurism. In the spirit of that iconoclastic and innovative moment, this exhibit presents 37 artworks by 36 artists which challenge conventional approaches to media, push the limits of traditional uses and processes or address themes of transformation, ritual and rebirth to herald the coming of spring. The exhibit is guest curated by Jeanne Brasile, Curator of the Walsh Gallery at Seton Hall University.

Left: Sharon Reed’s Harebringers of Spring

Participating artists include: Barry Altman(East Windsor), David Axelrod (Chatham), Rob Barth (Lafayette), Richard Bedkowski (Morristown), Ron Brown (South Orange), Bernadette Calnon-Buote (Moorestown), Lisa Conrad (Newark), Lauren Curtis (Somerset), Dominique Duroseau (Irvington), Kate Eggleston (Hillsborough), Amy Evans (Califon), Sara Fattori (Morristown), Harriet Finck (East Orange), Andrea Geller (Paramus), Freya Gervasi (Denville), Eva Han, Alice Harrison (Morristown), Susanna Kopchains (Far Hills), Ahni Kruger (Pottersville),  Jamie Levine (Short Hills), Beatrice M. Mady (Jersey City), Patricia Malarcher (Englewood), Kevin McCaffrey (Weehawken), Irmari Nacht (Englewood), Nancy Ori (Berkeley Heights), Arthur Paxton (Montclair), Kathy Rebek (Englewood), Sharon Reed (Westfield), David John Rush (Stanhope), Kenneth Schnall (Newark), Wes Sherman (Denville), Daniel Sroka (Morristown), Miriam Stern (Teaneck), Mary Ellen Timko, Eric Valosin (Warren), Anna Vranckx (Basking Ridge), and Dennis Joseph Yanoski (Morristown).

 

 

 

 

 

L-R:Kathy Rebek’s Colors Gone Wild; Lauren Curtis’ Brainflower; Alice Harrison’s aMUSEment; Anna Vranckx’s Fire Dance; Freya Gervasi’s Lily.

Click HERE to see the catalogue of the exhibit.

Hot off the press, some scenes from the opening reception:

 

 

 

 

 

 

L-R: Artist Irmari Nacht with her work Books 93Classic Botanica; Guest Curator Jeanne Brasile with Tom Werder, Executive Director of Morris Arts; Busy crowds enjoying the exhibit; Sculptor Jamie Levine with her work, Unknown Composer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

L-R: Freeholder Ann Grossi talks with Board member Dick Eger; artist Alice Harrison with her work aMUSEment; Sculptor Freya Gervasi with her work Lily; artist Wes Sherman with his work, National Park #3. 

 

 

 

 

 

L-R: artist Barry Altman with his work, OZ Defunct; artist Eric Valosin with Meditation 1.1 (Thusness, Elseness, Omnipresent); artist Susanna Kopchains with her work, Fragmented, No. 1; artist Kevin McCaffrey with Gin Midnight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

L-R: Signing in; artists mingling with viewers; artist Rich Bedkowski with The Fish Always Gets Bigger.

The public is invited to view the exhibit at The Gallery at 14 Maple, a distinctive space located on the 3rd floor of the LEED certified “green” building at 14 Maple Avenue, Morristown, NJ. The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Fridays from 10am to 4pm,and by appointment, and will remain on display until August 21, 2013. Visit www.morrisarts.org or call (973) 285-5115 for additional information.

Morris Arts gratefully acknowledges support from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

The Gallery at 14 Maple is a barrier-free facility. Individuals needing special accommodation should contact Kadie Dempsey at (973) 285-5115, x17 or at kdempsey@morrisarts.org.