Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Virtual Exhibition on Kunst Matrix
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition Juried by Vernita Nemec, Director of Viridian Artists & Independent Curator
Click on individual artwork to be directed to the artist’s work in this exhibition.
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition
Juried by Vernita Nemec, Director of Viridian Artists & Independent Curator
May 5-29, 2021
Virtual Opening Reception: Thursday, May 20, 6-7 pm
1st prize – Lua Kabayashi 2nd prize – Julia Jo 3rd prize – Kelsey Graves
Honorable Mention: Haley Smith & Dallas Frederick
Zea Beckwith * Emily Bertucci * Allison Burch * Brooke Catania * Jenny Choi * Mara Clawson
Stephanie Cobb * Chasity Colón * Hyunhee Doh * Helen Dolan * Alexandra Farber * Jessica Foley
Elisabeth Henley * Yve Holtzclaw * Kenzie Holzinger * Devan Horton * Yasmine Iskander
Christian Johnson * Joseph Kameen * Lauren Karjala * Lucy Le Bohec
Jonathan McHugh * Rena McInerney Olk * Hanna Meshell * Tiffany Nesbit * Nina Samuels
Alexander Shanks * Autumn Nicole Smith * Joe Taveras * Cassidy Westjohn
Chelsea: Viridian Artists Inc. is pleased to present our 3rd International Juried Exhibition for Artists Under 30, curated by Vernita Nemec, director of Viridian Artists. The exhibition opens May 5th and continues through May 29th, 2021. The exhibit is virtual only, but in celebration, there will be a virtual reception on Thursday, May 20, 6–7 pm. All are welcome to attend, but reservations must be made by emailing the gallery at viridianartistsinc@gmail.com. We are especially pleased to present cash awards to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of this important competition that brings the art of emerging and under-recognized artists to the attention of collectors and museum curators.
Viridian’s “30 under 30” competitions have been created especially for artist under thirty years of age and the gallery also has a special program for young artists just beginning their careers. Because of the pandemic and the need for expanding financial benefits to young artists, the gallery has expanded their Young Artists program to artists under 35 years of age and to include 35, rather than just 30 young artist winners in this exhibition.
The 35 artists selected by Nemec represent a wide survey of what concerns and inspires artists and as always, there is much to be concerned about. Many artists have renewed interest in realism, but many are also exploring digital media as well as media previously thought of only as craft. Curiously, many more female artists applied than male artists. Is it still more difficult for female artists to get their work out, despite the recent upsurge of interest in female art or are female artists more willing to risk rejection as they struggle to get their art seen?
Vernita Nemec is not only Viridian’s director, but also an independent curator and an artist long involved in the New York art world. In addition to jurying this competition, she recently juried “Upcycling Detritus” for the Sculptors Alliance, a virtual exhibit of art created of beautiful trash.
As always, Viridian makes a concerted effort to expand the opportunities for outstanding artists’ work to be seen and exhibited. The competition selection as always was difficult, but especially so for the nature of art in our world today encompasses a wide variety of methods, materials and conceptualizations of what art is.
We look forward to sharing this fascinating exhibition of timely contemporary art by artists we are sure you will see more of in the future.
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Gallery hours: Wednesday through Saturday 12–6PM
For further information, please contact Vernita Nemec the gallery director by phone at 212 414 4040 or by email at viridianartistsinc@gmail.com. Please visit the gallery website at www.viridianartists.com.
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Lua Kobayashi: 1st Prize Winner
“We have our own perceptions of what is normal, we act differently within our homes and each hallway, each each room holds a series of intimate memories, many are not privy to and we keep to ourselves.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Julia Jo: 2nd Prize Winner
“Afternoon Vice depicts several figures morphing in and out of themselves, at times turning into the environment themselves, dancing between physical and mental, just as the painting struggles between figurative and abstract.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Kelsey Gavin: 3rd Prize Winner
“This work reflects the childhood space I grew up in. It has warped and changed over time and exists now only in my memory.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Dallas Frederick: Honorable Mention
“ As a species endemic only to California, the Yellow-billed Magpie very tangibly represents the dramatic ways in which our world could change during our lifetime. It is a symbol of the impact of climate change. It is an example of how often, response is short-lived until impact hits close to home.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Haley Smith: Honorable Mention
“This painting illustrates how, with a little nurture, a child’s imagination can come alive and become contagious.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Zea Beckwith
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Emily Bertucci
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Allison Burch
“An investigation into the balance between human curated spaces for plants and the ruderal ecology around us.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Brooke Catania
“This is a self-portrait that represents the end of an internal battle with myself to once again find joy in painting.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Jenny Choi
“Together we breathe dust and ash, and dare whoever splinters our gold.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Mara Clawson
“I watched a video of waves crashing on black rocks in Hawaii and made this to show the powerful punches and how wide the world is.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Stephanie Cobb
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Chasity Colón
“This painting symbolizes my attempt at preserving warmth and hope through creativity and self expression, in spite of unshakable melancholy.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Hyunhee Doh
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Helen Dolan
“My works provide snapshots of solitary, intimate moments most often hidden from public view, highlighting the melancholy enjoyment of solitude.”
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Alexandra Farber
Viridian's Annual International 30 Under 30 Juried Exhibition: Jessica Parker Foley
“Nancy Makes a Few Calls repositions an scene from A Nightmare on Elm Street in which protagonist Nancy Thompson is in her bedroom, on the phone with Freddy Kruger into the setting of an abstracted Maine landscape.”