Current Special Exhibition

In 2008 the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum at Saginaw Valley State University held its first Regional Biennial Juried Sculpture Exhibition.  Although there are many venues that host juried exhibitions, this one is unique because it is entirely devoted to three-dimensional artworks. The exhibition was initiated to support living artists working in sculpture. It is open to artists living on the Great Lakes States.

The exhibition, which over the years has displayed the work of some of Michigan and Northern Indiana’s finest sculptors, has provided the Great Lakes Bay Region with the quality artwork usually seen in large metropolitan areas. Sculptures are representational, abstract and non-representational created in a wide variety of media and styles. The artists themselves represent a range of unique careers and backgrounds. Overall the exhibition boasts a wide unique variety of sculptural forms.

Michael Dunbar, renowned American sculptor, juried the exhibition and selected the merit award winners from 206 artworks submitted by 80 artists from the Great Lakes states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, New York, and Pennsylvania. The First through Fourth place and Honorable Mention award winning artists featured in the exhibition will be announced during the reception. All awards are sponsored by the Huntington Bank: Frances Goll Mills Fund.

Foster Willey, “Wave”

Awards:
Merit awards are monetary prizes awarded by the juror.
1st place….$2,500   2nd place…..$1,500   3rd place…..$1000  4th place…..$750

“The exhibition, which over the years has displayed the work of some of Michigan and Northern Indiana’s finest sculptors, has provided the Great Lakes Bay Region with the quality artwork usually seen in large metropolitan areas. Sculptures are representational, abstract and non-representational created in a wide variety of media and styles. The artists themselves represent a range of unique careers and backgrounds. Many artists represented have works in public places, museum collections, and private collections. Overall, the exhibition boasts a unique variety of sculptural forms.”

View the exhibition online at: https://www.marshallfredericks.net/2023rbjse.html

View past Regional Biennial Juried Sculpture Exhibitions at: https://marshallfredericks.org/exhibitions/past/

Austen Brantley, “Condesa”

About the Juror For over forty-five years, Michael Dunbar has worked continuously as a professional sculptor, building monumental, abstract works of art in steel and bronze.

Concepts of time, distance, and space run concurrently throughout Michael’s body of work. These concepts take a formal expression through the meticulous precision and connection of arcs, planes, and beams. Michael’s work often conjures imagery of mechanical objects used to move and measure the earth, explore sky and space, and transport across vast distances.

Forms are balanced to imply a sense of movement – as if they are at rest, waiting to be turned on or caught and frozen in the midst of action.

Michael creates model versions, which he refers to as ‘Machinist Studies,’ and courtyard sized versions of the monumental scale pieces.

Sponsors

This exhibition is made possible with grant funds from the Michigan Arts and Cultural Council and the Huntington Bank: Frances Goll Mills Fund.