May 22, 2010
The Torpedo Factory Art Center, located on the banks of the Potomac River in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia is pleased to announce the maiden launch of the “Visiting Artist Program for 2010.”
The goal of the Visiting Artist Program is to expose The Torpedo Factory Art Center’s visitors and patrons to a rotating group of accomplished artists … providing artisans and the public a unique opportunity to interact, explore, and exchange ideas. The visiting artists will be working in studios throughout the 76,000 square foot art center and will be actively involved in art enrichment events throughout the summer months in which they will demonstrate and lecture about their work.
With more than 50 applicants applying from around the U. S. and South America, 10 artists have been selected to participate in the program that will run from June through August 2010.
This year’s juror was noted curator and gallery director, Jack Rasmussen of The Katzen Art Center at American University in Washington, D.C.
JUROR’S STATEMENT
Mr. Rasmussen writes, “Rejected artist John Soden wrote this in 1875 about the heartless, brutal, coldly efficient, but necessary cattle call process of jurying art and artists:”
“The toil of months, experience of years
Before the dreaded Council now appears ..
It’s left their view almost as soon as in it ..
They damn them at the rate of three a minute,
Scarce time for even faults to be detected,
The cross is chalked; ’tis flung aside ‘Rejected’.”
“I say the process is necessary because the Torpedo Factory has done such a great job, is so respected and space within so coveted, that someone must choose who comes and who doesn’t. I apologize to those whose genius I was too blind to see, and I congratulate those selected for studios. The Torpedo Factory should be a very interesting place this summer!”
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PDF of Torpedo Factory Art Center Press Release – Visiting Artist Program Summer 2010