2009 New England Art Awards

The New England Journal of Aesthetic Research

By: Charles Giuliano - Feb 11, 2010

Shepherd Fairey came in a winner for his ICA show.

Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese at the Museum of Fine Arts won in the category of historical exhibitions.

A painting by Henry Schwartz Pierrot Lumiere is owned by the Danforth Museum.

The late Henry Schwartz is now being recognized. Giuliano photo.

Danforth Director Katherine French was recognized for oustanding exhibitions. Giuliano photo.

This old house by Ethan Hayes Chute was a highlight of the Portland Museum’s Biennial.

A scene from a hilarious video by A. Jacob Galle in the Portland Biennial.

 

The winners of the 2009 New England Art Awards, chosen by some 1,880 voters from across the region, were announced Monday night, Feb. 8, at the Burren in Somerville, Massachusetts. The awards are a contest organized by The New England Journal of Aesthetic Research to honor the best art made in New England and exhibits organized here in 2009. Critic Greg Cook organized the awards. A full list of winners is at bottom.
 
How the awards work:
In late December, The New England Journal of Aesthetic Research put out an open call for nominations and more than 80 people made submissions. Then readers were asked to volunteer to help cull the nominations. This team of six people seconded the nominations, and from these recommendations, this year's ballot was composed.

^{Then for one week in mid January people were invited to vote. Winners have been chosen by (a) 18 local active art journalists and bloggers and (b) anyone else who wanted to vote. More than 1,880 people from across New England voted in total. In each category there are two winners: the critics' choice and the people's choice.}

Full list of winners:

Artist's Book
People's choice: Michael Russem of Kat Ran Press in Cambridge and Florence, Mass., publisher of 'The Certainty of Numbers,' written by Bruce Snider and illustrated by Michael Russem.
Critics' pick: Brian Vanden Brink of Camden, Maine, "Ruin."

Drawing/ Printmaking
Critics' pick: Steve Locke of Boston at Samson.
People's choice: Mary O'Malley of Somerville, Mass., in "Economies of Scale," Miller Block.

Installation
Critics' pick and people's choice: Maria Magdalena Campos Pons and the students of her School of the Museum of Fine Arts Installation Art class, "War-room" installation and special projects for "Sleep No More" in Brookline, Mass.

New Media
Critics' pick: Brian Knep of Cambridge at Tufts.
People's choice: Krzysztof Wodiczko of Cambridge, New York and Warsaw, Poland, at ICA.

Painting
Critics' pick and people's choice: Mark Wethli of Brunswick, Maine, at Icon Contemporary Art.

Photography
People's choice: Isa Leshko of Salem, Mass., (now Houston) in "The Boston Drawing Project 10 Years On and Going Strong" at Carroll and Sons, "New England Photograpy Biennial" at Danforth, and Susan Maasch Fine Art in Portland.
Critics' pick: John O'Reilly of Worcester at Yezerski.

Sculpture
Critics' pick: Darren Foote of Providence at Rotenberg.
People's choice: Christy Georg of Boston at Simmons College's Trustman Art Gallery.

Performance or Spectacle
Critics' pick: Bread and Puppet Theater of Glover, Vt., performances in Vermont, at BCA and Spontaneous Celebrations in Boston.
People's choice: Honk Parade in Somerville and Cambridge.

Career Survey
People's choice: Gerry Bergstein of Cambridge, at Danforth Museum.
Critics' pick: Robert Indiana of Vinalhaven Island, Maine, at Farnsworth Museum.

Standout work by a local artist in a group show
People's choice (tie):
Alexi Antoniadis of Newtonville and Nico Stone of Chelsea in "Salt of the Earth," Montserrat.
Sand T of Malden, Mass., SHOW #54 at SNO in Sydney, Australia.
Critics' pick:
Georgie Friedman of Boston "Geyser" at BC as part of Cyberarts Fest and "Spiraling Water" in "H20: Film on Water" in Newport, NH.

Solo show by local artist (or collaborative)
Critics' pick (tie):
Anna Hepler of Portland at Montserrat.
The Miracle 5 of Somerville at Space 242.
People's choice:
Anna Hepler of Portland at Montserrat.

Public Exposure (public performance, sculpture, street art, scandalous arrest, etc.):
People's choice and critics' pick: Protests at Rose Art Museum, Brandeis.
 
Solo show of an artist from Away
Critics' pick and people's choice: "Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand" Emily Moore Brouillet and Pedro Alonzo at ICA.

Concept/theme show
Critics' pick and people's choice: "Twilight" Lauren Fensterstock at Maine College of Art's Institute of Contemporary Art.

Group show featuring local artists
People's choice: "Megapolis Audio Festival" Justin Grotelueschen and Nick van der Kolk.
Critics' pick: "Portland Museum of Art Biennial" Jurors Elizabeth Burke, Dan Graham, and Denise Markonish.

Historical show
Critics' pick and people's choice: "Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese: Rivals in Renaissance Venice" Frederick Ilchman at MFA.

Local curator of locally-made art
People's choice: Maya Allison for "Pixilerations [V.6]: The Great Disruption", "Book as Post Modern Medium" (with Jesse Smith), "Collective Access" at 5 Traverse.
Critics' pick: Katherine French Boston Expressionism (David Aronson, Henry Schwartz, Gerry Bergstein) at Danforth.