(The following description is taken from a transcript of the exhibition by NAWA board member and curator Jeffrey Wechsler.)
“The National Association of Women Artists: Then and Now” will be presented at The Monmouth Museum from March 18 to May 15, 2022. Located on a two-acre site on the campus of Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, New Jersey, the Monmouth Museum was established as an independent, non-profit organization in 1963; its current building was created in 1974. Like several other museums nationwide (such as the Newark Museum and the Oakland Museum of California), the Monmouth Museum serves as a multidisciplinary cultural center, offering long-term and changing displays of art, history and science.
The current NAWA exhibition emphasizes NAWA’s chronological range through the selection of two groups of artworks; a historical section from the first two-thirds of the 20th century, and a section of recent works by current NAWA members.
The historical section is derived from the collection of art by NAWA members that was established at the Zimmerli Art Museum of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Begun in 1988, the collection was created through the generous donations of artists, the estates or relatives of artists, or private collectors. Fifteen works from this collection were chosen for the Monmouth display by Jeffrey Wechsler, retired Senior Curator at the Zimmerli Art Museum, who worked directly with the NAWA collection and curated many NAWA exhibitions, both at Rutgers and other venues. The fifteen historical works at NAWA include paintings, works on paper, and sculpture. Because NAWA was widely recognized in its earlier years for having many talented sculptors within its ranks, five sculptures are presented here.
The contemporary section was juried from a group of 261 submissions by 111 artists. The jurors were: Donna Gustafson, Curator of Modern and American Art at the Zimmerli Art Museum; Marianne Ficarra, currently a professional art appraiser, with experience in both curating and judging NAWA exhibitions; and Jeffrey Wechsler. The contemporary section comprises 50 artworks, ranging through a wide diversity of media including painting in oil, acrylic and watercolor, works on paper including graphite, collage, and printmaking, and three-dimensional and relief sculpture using diverse materials
Overall, the NAWA exhibition at Monmouth indicates the diversity and talent of the current members of NAWA, while acknowledging and celebrating the venerable and groundbreaking historical contributions of the organization. It also underscores the vitality and determination of NAWA in moving forward with its important mission of opening new exhibition opportunities for its members.
NAWA Upcoming Exhibits
Don’t forget to consider submitting to these three exhibitions. We are sure their themes will inspire you, dealing with issues we all consider as women and artists. First, Second and Honorable Mention Awards will be given.
The Paths We Take: submissions are closed
Harmony: thenawa.org/harmony-2022-prospectus
On the Edge: thenawa.org/on-the-edge-2022-prospectus
