Situated together, great works of art may seem to speak to one another across a gallery to communicate about what art says and how it says it.
That's the case with the 31st annual Juried Exhibition at the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council's Regional Arts Center, which opens Friday, July 26, with a 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. reception and runs through Aug. 24. Artists will attend and their works will receive honors during the reception.
This year's exhibit is international in scope, once again showing TRAHC's juried show is growing in reach. A 7-foot sculpture titled "Alpha Channel" colorfully greets visitors as they step through the lobby.
Something new this year are descriptive labels, said Dr. Becky Black, TRAHC's visual arts and community programs coordinator. Written by the artist, they offer a bit of insight into the art.
"Every piece has a descriptive label to tell you what it's about, what the artist was thinking," she said.
With a show like this, Black said, with works by artists who have disparate backgrounds and come from different areas, the viewer can be left wondering how the art all connects.
"Giving our viewers a bit more background information I think will help make these works make sense and sort of tell a story," she said.
In all, more than 100 artists submitted 408 works, of which 116 of them were chosen to be part of the exhibition. "We had works from Greece, Canada and Thailand submitted for the show, as well as 30 states. And we had 19 local and regional artists make it into the show," Black said. "They made it. We're on the international stage in Texarkana and our artists made it. We've got some talent here, for sure."
Dr. Injeong Yoon of the University of Arkansas school of art served as this year's juror. She works primarily with MFA and art education students.
"I really like the variety of the works. Sculptures and very experimental works, as well, and also very traditional works. I just see the whole spectrum of styles," Yoon said. She looked for craftsmanship first, wanting to see the artist master a certain level of technique and skill.
"The next level is, I think, really originality, the idea-not too cliché where someone can easily expect. Something that can really push the boundaries of how we perceive the world and what art is," Yoon said. "The works that make me question and wonder about, and want to see more and want to talk to the artist to see what he or she is thinking. That was my OVERSET FOLLOWS:primary criteria."
In terms of originality, the "Alpha Channel" sculpture has it with the stylized graphics and various elements coming together, which include steel, aluminum, adhesive-backed vinyl and discarded data cable. Pennsylvania artist Charles Emlen created it.
The descriptive panel states: "'Alpha Channel' is about information, how it is represented, and the manner of its reproduction. The term 'alpha channel' refers to that part of a digital image that controls its opacity. Images on this sculpture represent the preponderance of information in our lives, and the appearance of each of them is affected by its respective alpha channel."
Wires hidden inside the structure make it interesting, Yoon said. It's the kind of art that provokes questions. "I want to ask those kinds of questions. Why did you put a lot of wires there and what are the meanings of each image?" That's why she chose this work.
About the exhibit as a whole, Yoon said, "I do see a lot of personal works that have personal meanings and stories." The personal goes beyond simply personal meanings, though, making connections with other people and other stories, she said.
To see works of art that inspire questions, conversation and connections, check out the 31st annual Juried Exhibition at the RAC.
(Admission is free. The Regional Arts Center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at 321 W. 4th St. More info: TRAHC.org or 903-792-8681.)