THE DOG AND PONY SHOW: A SONDHEIM FINALIST ALUMNI EXHIBITION

Dates: June 30 – July 30, 2017 at Area 405

Fancy Opening Reception June 30: 7-9 pm

Curated by Cara Ober & Stewart Watson

After twelve years, The Janet  &  Walter Sondheim Prize has generated an elite alumni of

visual artists from the Baltimore / Washington region. Each year, esteemed international  jurors select 6-7 finalists for a museum exhibition and the chance to compete for the $25k prize. At this point there are approximately seventy former Sondheim finalists.

The Dog and Pony Show is an Artscape Satellite exhibition that recognizes those who

have been previously selected as Sondheim finalists as a community of high achieving

visual artists. The exhibit at Area 405 is curated by Stewart Watson, Director of Area

405, and Cara Ober, Editor of BmoreArt, who reached out to all seventy former

Sondheim Finalists and invited them, to the best of their ability, to participate. The result

is an exhibit featuring over a third of the former finalists designed to celebrate the award and

their evolving careers.

Although the title of the exhibit is a tongue-in- cheek response to the spectacle of

competitive art, the exhibit will function as a celebration, as well as a critique, of

Baltimore's most prestigious art prize from the perspective of those who have

experienced it directly.

Participating artists have been encouraged to create new works in response to the

phenomenon of art prizes, both the positive and negative aspects of the experience, and

can function as a critique of the artifice inherent in theatrical display. Using serious and

humorous approach, as well as metaphorical imagery of dogs, ponies, and stage acts,

the artists in this exhibit will honestly examine the vulnerability of artists, definitions of

success in the art world, and performative public experiences. As Area 405 is a large

space with inherent personality, large installation work and sculpture will form the

centerpiece of the show.

The Dog and Pony Show seeks to build community and advocacy within a growing

family of Sondheim Finalists, to recognize their achievements and struggles, and to

visualize the long-term impact of this prize upon the careers of regionally based artists.

Participating artists include: Chris Lavoie, Chris Palios, Laure Drogoul, Darcie Book,

David Page, Frank Day, Hasan Elahi, Jon Duff, Jason Hughes, Jim Leach, Karen

Yazinsky, Lauren Frances Adams, Lisa Dillin, Leah Cooper, Magnolia Laurie, Mark

Parascandola, Melissa Dickenson, Molly Springfield, Neil Feather, Ryan Hackett, Ryan

Syrell, René Treviño, Stephanie Barber, Stewart Watson, Tony Shore, Wickerham &

Lomax, and Zoë Charlton.