Selections 30

In conjunction with the National Endowment for the Arts' 20th Anniversary celebration in 1985, The Drawing Center presented Selections 30, a group exhibition featuring work by ten emerging artists. The Drawing Center was particularly proud to join in the commemoration of the Endowment's anniversary, in recognition of its generous support of this ongoing series of exhibitions. Included in the exhibition were: Joan Albert, Taka Amano, Richard Dunn, Xing Fei, David Jackson, Claire Lieberman, Ann Litke, Norma Markley, Janet Stafford and David Wynne. All artists had been selected from The Drawing Center's Viewing Program, including Open Portfolio Day.

The rich variety of media and subject matter in the exhibition demonstrated the broad range of work included within The Drawing Center's definition of drawing — a unique work on paper. In David Jackson's The Breathing Device, two enormous papier-mâché figures appeared before twelve mixed media wall panels. Claire Lieberman's technique of drawing on paper resting against an inked glass plate produced small, densely atmospheric monoprints.

More traditional techniques included Taka Amano's luminous watercolors and Ann Litke's pencil drawings on vellum. Both artists relied on the progressive repetition of form to achieve work that was at once a fascinating record of progression, as well as a harmonious entirety. Norma Markley juxtaposed forms abstracted from found objects in collages of silvery grays and black against gold enamel. The traditional metaphoric associations of a bridge were explored by David Wynne, while Richard Dunn strove to liberate his images from associative meaning by placing them in unlikely contexts or combinations. A more direct narrative approach informed Janet Stafford's closely observed images of everyday life. Memories by Xing Fei was a poignant nocturne which evolved from dreams of her native China. Joan Albert's recent trip to Mexico provided rich inspiration for a series investigating architectural spaces.

All of the artists included in Selections 30 participated in a symposium at The Drawing Center on Wednesday, October 9 at 7:00 p.m. The artists discussed their work and answered questions from the audience.