Response to Fear Online Gallery
March 15 - April 27, 2008
Curators: Kate Sprengnether & Michael Goodlett

Curator's Statement

We live in a society that is fascinated with fear. A perfect storm of events has served to create a fearful, anxiety-ridden culture—from constant media reminders of possible threats, to a new kind of social interaction based on confessions of shared anxieties. Response to Fear addresses the commonality of fear and explores the differing ways that artists work through and deal with their fears and anxieties. The artwork in the exhibit reflects several different themes: artwork that is made as a response to the artist’s own fears and anxieties because the art-making process itself is therapeutic and provides relief; artwork that literally or figuratively protects the artist or the viewer from a specific threat; and artwork that comments on the role that fear plays in our culture.

In forming this exhibit, it was important to us that the artwork reflect the positive and constructive ways that artists respond to fear. We chose work that provides a more sophisticated and layered response than work that is made out of anger or work that is made to frighten the viewer.

March 2008

Download the full-color E-catalog or buy a hard copy here:

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QX.net Nude International 2008 Online Gallery
January 11 - February 24, 2008
Juror: Jay Gorney

For over twenty years the Nude exhibit has been presented by the Lexington Art League. As in the past, the LAL continues to examine the body as an inextricable part of the human experience through the perspective of visual artists.  From the classic to the controversial, artists continue to redefine this subject through choice of materials, style and concept. The purpose of the QX.net Nude International 2008 is to showcase a range of interpretations of this vessel that contains us, including works that challenge the traditional execution of figurative art such as Helene Steene’s Yellow Diver or present issues related to the body, as in Mare Vaccaro’s Dreaming.

Our familiarity with the human body begets the challenge to the artist—transforming that which is known and perhaps private, into an expression of thought and idea for everyone to see.  As juror Jay Gorney wrote, “…my selections tend to favor those artists…who attempt to breathe new life or explore new ways of working within [a particular] medium…[while looking for a] unique point of view, and for the emergence of a distinctive artistic voice.”  Within the exhibition, idealized beauty exists alongside exaggerated blemishes, while humor co-exists with pain.   

As evidenced in Mr. Gorney’s statement, the work in the exhibition is a myriad of styles and concepts from the cartoon-like figures of Chris Keinke (Bridal Envy and Big Gun) to the lifelike figures of Tamie Beldue (Draped Fabric and Temperament II).  The interaction of these works in the exhibition enables one to see the past, present, and future of figurative art.  And while the classical study of the human figure will remain integral to the study of art, works that break with traditional practice will continue to challenge both artist and viewer alike.

For the QX.net Nude International 2008, Jay Gorney, Director of Contemporary Art at the Mitchell-Innes & Nash Gallery in New York City, anonymously juried 775 entries and selected the 45 artworks on exhibit.

Full color exhibit catalog available, documenting the QX.net Nude International 2008
	QX.net Nude International 2008 softcover 28 pages, 45 full color illustrations, 5.5" x 8.5" $11.00 (includes shipping & handling) purchase online -OR- purchase by calling 859.254.7024

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Photography: What Now? Online Gallery
October 27 - December 9, 2007
Juror: Anita Douthat

With this third photography exhibition, the LAL continues to examine the currents found in the photography world today—the techniques currently being used by photographers and the trends in content.

More than ever, photography is one of the most accessible visual mediums. New technologies continue to be introduced and defined, pushing the evolution of photographic expression. Many photographers are working in the digital realm, while others remain loyal to traditional, time-honored processes.  As evidenced in this exhibition, numerous processes are being used that allow the photographer to capture a moment, a thought or an idea and render it an image others can experience.  Photography: What Now?shows the range of photographic techniques currently utilized by photographers throughout the country, and the diverse variety of subject matter they explore. 

For Photography: What Now?, Anita Douthat, an award-winning photographer who resides in Northern Kentucky, anonymously juried 391 entries and selected the 74 artworks on exhibit.