Arts Council keeps winners a secret
By Winkie Lee
Published in News on September 14, 2005 1:45 PM
Shhh. It's a secret.
The Arts Council of Wayne County is not telling who won prizes in this year's National Juried Fine Arts Exhibition.
Not yet, anyway.
The answers will be revealed at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, when the doors to the downstairs gallery will be unlocked, and the public can go on a treasure hunt. Visitors can look at the 252 pieces of artwork that were entered in the competition, decide what they think and find the winners along the way.
Ribbons will mark who won Best in Show, Best in Wayne County, and second-, third-, and fourth-places.
The decision to wait until the reception to reveal the winners was made after hearing suggestions from this year's juror, Ann Dearsley-Vernon.
Ms. Dearsley-Vernon judged the works yesterday, choosing five winners and 10 honorable mentions.
Why wait until the reception to reveal the top works?
It might build suspense, she said. Excitement. Anticipation. And, hopefully, attendance.
Another change this year is that the 113 pieces selected for the exhibition will not be separated from the other 139 entries. Traditionally, during the time when all of the entries can be seen, the selected work has been in one part of the gallery and the remaining work has been in another.
"I suggested showing it as a body of work," Ms. Dearsley-Vernon said. "People should have a chance to see all of the entries on a kind of equal footing. I trust the viewers to make their own decisions. Taste is so subjective."
The public can see all of the entries Friday from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m., this Saturday and Sunday from 1 until 5 p.m., and on Mondays through Fridays, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., through Sept. 25. Selected works will remain on view through Oct. 14.