Art Seen: A Juried Exhibition of Artists from Omaha to Lincoln
6/21/2015 - 10/11/2015
Shortly after opening its doors to the public in 1931, Joslyn Art Museum began regularly staging juried exhibitions. Intended to bring the work of artists from throughout the Midwest to Omaha audiences, these exhibitions showcased painting, sculpture, graphic arts, and utilitarian design. In the 1950s, Joslyn initiated a regional biennial that continued until 1988.

Art Seen: A Juried Exhibition of Artists from Omaha to Lincoln honors Joslyn’s traditions and celebrates the vibrancy of the current artistic moment in our area. While the Museum’s programming is often national or international in scope, Art Seen provides an exciting opportunity to carefully consider our immediate context. Featuring thirty-seven artists who live and work in Nebraska’s two largest cities, this exhibition represents a broad cross-section of the artist communities that thrive in Omaha and Lincoln. Selected from a pool of more than 200 submissions by Karin Campbell, Phil Willson Curator of Contemporary Art, and Bill Arning, Director of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, these artists work across media to respond to issues of personal, local, and global relevance. Political concerns, such as sexual and racial identity, gender roles, and environmental change feature prominently in Art Seen. Other artists are deeply engaged with topics that originate within the art world, including the importance of the handmade in an increasingly digital world, the intersection between written language and visual art, and the ongoing relevance of abstraction in American art. Placing the work of younger artists alongside that of more established artists, this exhibition opens up the rich dialogue taking place among our creative communities to a broader public.





Special thanks to the Tessa Wedberg and Aaron Gum for their hard work and dedication in making this video to promote Art Seen, and to Routine Escorts for donating their music to the project.




Art Seen Artists:

Of the 37 artists selected for the exhibition, 21 are from Omaha and 16 from Lincoln; 20 are men and 17 are women. Media includes painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, ceramic, textile, video, and more. Art Seen presents an exciting opportunity for Joslyn to showcase the contributions of local artists to current narratives in art making.

Following are the artists selected for inclusion in the exhibition:

Littleton Alston, Omaha
Laurie Victor Kay, Omaha
Byron Anway, Lincoln
Holly Kranker, Omaha
Jess Benjamin, Omaha
Dylan Lilla, Omaha
Sarah Berkeley, Lincoln
Rich Mansfield, Omaha
James Bockelman, Lincoln
Avery Mazor, Omaha
Jamie Burmeister, Omaha
Marjorie Mikasen, Lincoln
Michael Burton, Lincoln
Mo Neal, Lincoln
Peter Cales, Omaha
Joshua Norton, Omaha
Kim Darling (Kim Reid Kuhn), Omaha
Bradley Peters, Lincoln
Angela Drakeford, Omaha
Walker Pickering, Lincoln
Catherine Ferguson, Omaha
Sarah Rowe, Omaha
Nancy Friedemann-Sánchez, Lincoln
Matthew Sontheimer, Lincoln
Charley Friedman, Lincoln
Therman Statom, Omaha
Camille Hawbaker, Lincoln
Joy O. Ude, Lincoln
Aaron Holz, Lincoln
Watie White, Omaha
Keith Jacobshagen, Lincoln
Shea Wilkinson, Omaha
Heather Johanson, Omaha
Ying Zhu, Omaha
Josh Johnson, Lincoln
Mary Zicafoose, Omaha
Jun Kaneko, Omaha



Hours, Tickets, & Tours
Art Seen is open during all regular Museum hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm; Thursday, 10 am to 8 pm. Closed Monday and major holidays.

Art Seen is a ticketed exhibition: General public adults: $10
(Thursday evening pricing, 4-8 pm: $5 for general public adults)
Youth ages 17 and younger: Free
College students with ID: Free
Joslyn Members: Free (Not a member? Click here to join now!)

$5 Art Seen admission for general public adults on all September Sundays! Every Sunday, September 6 through 27, general public adults will receive 50% off exhibition tickets to Art Seen in celebration of this juried exhibition of artists from Omaha to Lincoln. The Museum is open on Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm.

All visitors, including members, must obtain a ticket for entrance to the exhibition (no reservations necessary).

Programs with visits to the exhibition will be priced accordingly for general public adults. Docent-guided tours of the exhibition are offered on select days. Check the calendar of events for exact tour dates. Art Seen ticket pricing applies.



Exhibition-Related Events & Programs

Friday, June 19; 6–8 pm
Lecture & Reception
Joslyn members are invited for a private lecture and reception celebrating Art Seen. At 6 pm, Karin Campbell, Phil Willson Curator of Contemporary Art, and Bill Arning, Director of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, will give an overview of the show in the Witherspoon Concert Hall. Discussion moderator is Jack Becker, Joslyn's Executive director & CEO. The presentation will be followed by exhibition viewing, complimentary light hors d'oeuvres, and a cash bar in the Storz Fountain Court from 6:30–8 pm. Invitations will be mailed to Museum members with reservation/attendance information. Not a member? Join now!

Friday, June 19; 5:30–8 pm
Dine at Joslyn
Enjoy a gourmet meal in Café Durham. Dinner reservations are required by June 15 and will sell out quickly, so make your reservations today! Please call (402) 661-3842 or by email (dinner reservations only please). Café Durham's servery line will be closed this evening. Bon appétit!

Saturday, June 20; 10 am–4 pm
Private Preview Day for Members
Beginning in 2015, every ticketed special exhibition at Joslyn will open first and exclusively for members. The exhibition will open to the general public the following day. Members, show your membership card at the admissions desk for tickets to the exhibition on preview day (reservations not required during the day). Curator gallery talks will be offered at noon and 2 pm by Karin Campbell, Phil Willson Curator of Contemporary Art. Not a member? Join now!

Thursday, July 9
Omaha Under the Radar
Performances throughout the Museum with a special choreographed piece inspired by the work of one artist in Art Seen.

Thursday, July 16
Edible Omaha Launch
Everyone is invited to the Edible Omaha magazine summer issue launch party at Joslyn. Locally sourced food, garden tours, and organic gardening educational opportunities await!

Thursdays, July 30 & September 3
Artist Dialogues with Curator Karin Campbell
Select artists, in conversation with Campbell, talk about their work in Art Seen.

Saturday, August 22
Studio Tours
Select Art Seen artists open their Omaha studios to visitors followed by a gathering at 1912 in Benson. Free for members; $10 general public.

Sundays, September 6 through 27
September Sundays
$5 Art Seen admission for general public adults on all September Sundays! Every Sunday, September 6 through 27, general public adults will receive 50% off exhibition tickets to Art Seen in celebration of this juried exhibition of artists from Omaha to Lincoln. The Museum is open on Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm.