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Early chemists believed these were the elements of life and reality, and when surrounded by them, it’s not hard to see why. Pieces that involve any of the four elements in any way, by medium or subject, were eligible for this online show. Entries were open to all original 2-D or 3-D artwork. MFA will display selected works online in Curve Gallery from October 15 through November 30, 2021. Show Chairs: Richard Niewerth and Wil Scott.
Curator of Contemporary Art at the Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, Delaware
Margaret Winslow currently lives and works in Wilmington, Delaware where she is the Curator of Contemporary Art at the Delaware Art Museum. She has curated for the Neuberger Museum of Art and The Delaware Contemporary and assisted with exhibits for the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. Recent exhibitions at the Delaware Art Museum include Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot, a 2018 commission by Hank Willis Thomas; Truth & Vision: 21st Century Realism; Dream Streets: Art in Wilmington 1970–1990; and Retro-Active: Performance Art from 1964–1987. Margaret has served as an evaluator for the Headlands Center for the Arts, an adjunct faculty member at the University of Delaware, and a radio host for Art Watch on WCHE 1520 AM. Public presentations include talks at the Beijing American Center in China, College Art Association, and the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums. Margaret holds a BA in Art History from the University of Mary Washington and an MA in Modern and Contemporary Art, Theory, and Criticism from SUNY Purchase College.
The works of art included in Maryland Federation of Art’s 2021 Elemental: Earth, Fire, Water, Air represent a range in style, subject matter, and media. The classical elements of nature offer a lens through which to consider this present moment, a time that has witnessed the power and awe of those forces. When making these selections, I strove to identify works of the highest quality in regard to both form and content. Similarly, I paid equal attention to all the various media I found represented—drawing, printmaking, painting, sculpture, and photography. Within the group are meticulous lines; colorful, expressionist paintings; contemporary criticisms; and quiet meditations. Though the included artwork is representative of the myriad styles occupying the collective conscious today, there is an underlying theme that focuses on the beauty of our blue planet. Global warming continues to impact the world, giving us vital signs that Earth is changing. Several works of art in the exhibition directly reference wildfires that have swept and continue to sweep across large sections of the United States. Others remind us of the precarious nature of water, at times excessive or too little. However, the essential approach is one of great positivity. The air is a force to be harnessed and used as an alternative energy source. Water provides a place for play. The Earth supports us, offering a space for respite. The resulting exhibition showcases the perseverance of art to communicate all these sentiments—our deepest fears, most urgent concerns, and unbridled optimism. Margaret Winslow Curator of Contemporary Art Delaware Art Museum