June 9 – July 8, 2018

Opening Reception: Saturday, June 9, 6–9pm

Current art students from leading Southern California art programs are invited to mine the cultural landscape of Los Angeles for inspiration leading to the submission of dynamic new work to be showcased in PVAC’s Third Annual Alpay Scholarship University Student Juried Exhibition, Now Trending.

Juror:  Darrel Couturier, Couturier Gallery, Los Angeles

Darrel Couturier comes from a family of art dealers. Couturier Gallery, established in 1987, specializes in Latin American and American painting, sculpture, photography and ceramics by master and mid-career artists. The gallery has been a leader in promoting important artists from Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South America as well as the United States, Europe and Asia, and frequently collaborates with museums and public collections curating exhibitions and developing their collections of Latin American art.

Juror Statement:

A juror of art shows is often asked how selections were made, why one work was chosen over another, and what were the criteria. Rarely is a clear and precise answer given as there is no one definitive answer. My criteria reviewing the 263 images submitted for this exhibition were varied, as are our daily decisions when choosing one thing over another. In the art world, a superb skill at handling whatever the medium reigns supreme, as it is what distinguishes artists and their work. So, too, does the thought behind the imagery which, when presented as simply and directly as possible and comes from the soul, touches one’s senses and makes for a compelling work of art. One without the other isn’t sufficient. It’s the combination of these elements that makes for exceptional talent and the works selected for this exhibition are the result.

It is wonderful and encouraging to see a wealth of talent and fine work created with a wide array of medium, technique, and aesthetic concern addressing an equally large range of ideas, subject matters, and issues. Thank you to all the participants.

Darrel Couturier

Los Angeles, May 2018