Critical Mass for the Visual Arts is a nonprofit, self-formed visual arts collaborative dedicated to promoting, enhancing and initiating contemporary visual art in the St. Louis region.
Latest:
Creative Stimulus 2021- Call for Art- Deadline November 19, 2020
Since 2008, Critical Mass for the Visual Arts has recognized the needs of outstanding local visual artists through the Creative Stimulus Project. Building upon the mission of Critical Mass to promote and initiate contemporary visual art in St. Louis, the Creative Stimulus Project provides up to three artists or artist collaborations with $1,500 of unrestricted operating capital, the opportunityto exhibit their work in a group exhibition, and participation in the Critical Mass “Five Questions” podcast. Recipients are also eligible to curate future Creative Stimulus exhibitions. Applications are due November 19, 2020 by 6:00 PM to stlcriticalmass@yahoo.com.
5 Questions-Julia Curran
This episode we got to chat with Julia Curran, whose work explores myth, gender constructs, and the excesses of American capitalism.Curran works in the socio-politically conscious tradition of printmaking and combines woodblock print and silkscreen to make vibrant, many-layered compositions. Stylistically, she embraces masters of elaborate grotesque such as Hieronymus Bosch and Henry Darger, absurd caricature of underground cartoonists like Robert Crumb, and the powerful and vulnerable self-portraits of Frida Kahlo. Conceptually, she embraces Betye Saar’s commonly employed phrase “Extreme times call for extreme heroines.” Through highly-crafted compositions meant to both repulse and delight, Curran seeks to deconstruct the stories we tell about ourselves, and to find new meaning in old myths.Curran graduated with an MFA from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and was a Fulbright Fellow in Paris, France.She has exhibited in both exhibitions and fairs since 2014 including the EA/B Fair at New York Print Week, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, and Rochester Contemporary Arts Center. Julia’s work is curently part of a three-woman show at Gallery 210 in the Exposure series entitled: Exposure 21- Three Myths. In future months we will be interviewing the other incredible members of this show: Emma Vidal and Lola Ogbara.
Covid-19 Local Artist Roundtable
On Wednesday April 29 we co-hosted with Midwest Artist Project Services a local artist virtual roundtable via Zoom.The discussion was led by Mallory Nezam and featured panelists Dail Chambers, Pacia Elaine Anderson, Juan William Chavez and Alicia Brown. The audio can be found on the 5 Questions Podcast or at the link above. During the event, Sarah Paulsen captured the conversation with live drawings.
Announcing Creative Stimulus Winners 2020- Yowshien Kuo, Marina Peng, and Janie Stamm!
Critical Mass for the Visual Arts is pleased to announce the winners of the 11th annual Creative Stimulus Award. This year’s selected artists are Yowshien Kuo, Marina Peng and Janie Stamm! All three artists have episodes available (for your listening pleasure) on 5 Questions!
