The Annual Student Art Salon showcases works created by Grinnell students in the preceding year. It is organized by the students of the Art SEPC and designed by the staff of Faulconer Gallery, where it will open this Friday at 5 p.m. Art pieces are selected through a jury process and hung by Milton Severe, the Exhibition Designer of Falconer Gallery.
“Traditionally a juror is brought from outside of Grinnell to select from submissions. Last year it was Gilbert Vicario, Curator of the Des Moines Art Center. The year before this was Jefferey Hamada, author of the art blog, http://www.booooooom.com/, ” said Nic Wilson ’12, a member of the Art SEPC. This year, the juror is Kathleen Edwards, Chief Curator of the University of Iowa Art Museum. Edwards will also be holding a Gallery Talk in Faulconer Gallery at 4:15 p.m. this Friday to talk about her strategy and selections for this year’s exhibition.
This year was also the first year in which students submitted works electronically.  “We got together with the Art SEPC and the Art faculty. Together they wanted to try [electronic submissions],” said Lesley Wright, Director of Faulconer Gallery. With the addition of electronic submissions, Kathleen Edwards had about 110 works to choose from.
“Every juror usually comes out of it with a particular idea after looking at everything that particularly speaks to her. And good curators also look to put together an exhibition that has some sort of coherence, ” Wright said. In Kathleen Edward’s statement regarding the Student Art Salon, she says, “I see this curated exhibition of student art work coalescing around concepts related to the structures and functions of the human brain.”
Any student is allowed to enter, even if they are not in an art class. It can be any student on campus and any type of artwork is welcome, such as paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography, or video.
There are 28 works by 18 artists this year, so be sure to come support the art community this Friday. The Annual Student Art Salon begins at 5 p.m. Refreshments will be served and the awards will be announced at 5:15 p.m.