Radius 50

With Radius 50 WAAM is inaugurating an important new exhibition that we plan to make an annual highlight of our programming going forward. The name refers to the 50 mile area around Woodstock and the show is comprised of works by artists who live in the Mid-Hudson/Catskills region. My thanks to the 208 artists from 60 different localities who applied and to juror David A. Ross for doing such a great job jurying the show.

Our region has a long history of attracting artists who seek a way of living and working in tune with natural beauty and who migrate here in search of communities supportive of artistic endeavor. That migration continues to this day and has led to the development of a rich and diverse arts eco-system in the Mid-Hudson and Catskills region. Radius 50 brings together the work of artists who reflect this strength and diversity. Our region is in fact a community of communities each with its own unique character. One of our great strengths is that among us we provide art experiences that can appeal to a very wide and sustainable audience bridging generations, demographics, and different points of view, sophistication, and taste.

Woodstock has been a thriving artist colony from the beginning of the 20th century. Many other localities in our region have seen a resurgence of the arts in recent years. As we enter a period where the arts are in danger of losing support from national government sources, it is more important than ever to foster arts communities at a local level. WAAM, which is approaching its 100 year anniversary in 2019, is committed to programming which will both celebrate the cultural history of our region and support the aspirations of all the artists who currently live and work here.

This year’s juror for Radius 50, David A. Ross, was formerly director, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston and is currently, Chair, MFA Art Practice Department, School of Visual Arts. Mr. Ross brings a unique perspective to the jurying process combining direct experience of what it means to live in our region with an in-depth knowledge of art on a global scale and a passionate point of view of the role of art in our time.

In addition to the exhibition, Radius 50 is the occasion for important programming throughout the month of August. Mr. Ross will be leading a panel discussion at WAAM entitled Who Speaks for Whom: The Issue of Voice in the Visual Arts. Mimi Goese and Ben Neill will present Fathom: Hudson River Hurricane Data Becomes Music, a concert of experimental music. Habitat for Artists is doing an installation on WAAM grounds and will provide community outreach programming. Also, during the run of the show, there will be a silent auction of works by 10 top artists from the Mid-Hudson/Catskills region.

Carl Van Brunt
Gallery Director