Was it worth it?
RedLine’s 6th Annual Juried Exhibition / Curated by Ivar Zeile / August 10-September 8th, 2019
Juror’s Statement
I was struck immediately and deeply by the four simple words Was it worth it? that Heather D. Schulte embroidered onto “Confederate Grey” 18-ct Cotton Aida Cloth as one of her submissions for RedLine’s annual National Juried exhibition. Her decision to amplify the question through use of a stately, dimensional font was a choice designed to speak to all Americans, yet the combined words themselves beg not to be restricted by that context.
The work’s actual title is “A question of values,” though I chose to embrace the artist’s textile visualization as a headline for this exhibition, one composed of a great number of works by artists from Colorado and around the country, more than I had anticipated drawing into the show. I haven’t seen Schulte’s art in person, but what I’ve viewed online I really like, and this simple phrase she’s given us has stirred in my head the last few weeks as I’ve considered and reconsider what to assemble. They serve as a great summation of, well, life itself. How can they not get in your head? The list that fired up in my brain started with career choices and relationships, and other such elements with far reaching consequence, then easily dovetailed into simple decisions such as cats, how many? or which fucking road to take home during rush hour today?? They expanded into politics, naturally, and the ethos we all can’t help but carry with us regarding who we are, who we want to be, how and why we forge our paths, and where they lead. At each and every moment in time. Ugh. Life. Art. Wow!
Ultimately these words inspired me to reflect on the vast culture and history of making, showing, purchasing and collecting art; where art has been and where (god, or someone, help us!) the ecosystem of art is going. These words assisted in delineating a path for this show’s selections, as well as dismissing those that did not have the “fortune” of getting in. Was it worth it for the artist’s to take the time to enter? Was it worth it to create these works at all, the ultimate ego-trip, passionate pursuit in order to inspire humanity, or simply as a saviour of oneself? I’m certainly on the side of the artists and patrons, and want little to do with those who are not.
But this is really a question without need for an answer. It’s as simple as black and white, or glass half-full or empty. Do we really even have the capability to reflect meaningfully on our choices in today’s every changing, super-sped-up world? Let’s sure hope so.
There’s much to be discovered and enjoy that’s on view in the exhibition, and so much more in the studios of all who submitted work, as well as those who did not. They are deserving of deeper attention, rather than a quick glance or aside. Maybe not just today, but perhaps again tomorrow or ten years from now. Whether these selections reflect on the state of contemporary art today is superfluous, they are selections made with intent and composed in a specific manner, which I’ve defined through particular “Zones” that were initiated by particular artworks submitted for the exhibition. The opportunity to work within RedLine’s vast chamber is a major challenge, one with tremendous appeal. Many have done it so much better. But that too is besides the point, because it is worth it and should always be.
Ivar Zeile
July 17, 2019
I’ve been asked to jury quite a number of exhibitions since my time as an art dealer and proprietor of Plus Gallery. These opportunities rarely offer much control over the quality of the artworks accepted, or the installation parameters for the artworks to be presented to the public. RedLine’s 6th annual National Juried Exhibition, however, was one of the most fulfilling in my career. The majority of the works in the exhibition were selected from the submissions produced by RedLine’s CFE, but the opportunity to invite additional artists into the mix was a unique angle never before presented. I decided that it would be unfair to push much further than what was submitted through the CFE, largely as there was more than enough to work with. Nevertheless, some critical elements to make this a successful curated exhibition were a result of a handful of key additions. RedLine’s exhibition space is massive, with the ability to move walls to suite a distinct setup, another factor that was very rewarding. The illustration above was my final working plan laying out the exhibition, with works being broken into distinct zones. Overall the show was a great success and well received both by the institution itself as well as the public and artists. As of 2020 it was also the last of its kind to take place within the space, an unfortunate circumstance of COVID-19, the pandemic having cut short the majority of significant live in-person gallery exhibitions since then.