Young Contemporaries 2017 / by Bethany Summers

As some of you may know, I graduated from the College of Charleston this past December with B.A. degrees in Arts Management and Studio Art. Each year, the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art hosts Young Contemporaries, a juried exhibition open to students of the college, and recent grads. This exhibition is quite unique compared to other shows. Not only do you have the opportunity to win an array of awards, but rejected works are curated for the Salon des Refusés, a nod to the Parisian exhibitions in the mid 1800's.

After three years of submitting to no avail - my work got accepted this year! *awkward happy dance*

This gallery will always hold a special place in my heart. It's where I was exposed to contemporary art in Charleston, where I would find inspiration in between classes, and where I would learn about gallery prep, maintenance, and organization (shout out to Karen Ann Meyers and her fantastic Gallery Fundamentals class).

It is truly surreal to finish off my undergrad career with my work in this show. Thank you to everyone at the Halsey Institute, the studio art faculty, and juror Josephine Halvorson for a beautiful exhibition!

Courtesy of the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, photos by Rick Rhodes.