Around the Block V: Artists from our Neighborhood
In collaboration with 40 North: Champaign County Arts Council, the "Around the Block V: Artists from Our Neighborhood" is a juried community exhibition of regional artists, including artists aged 18 and older residing in Champaign County and counties within District 505.
Josh Fairbanks, assistant director of exhibitions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), is the juror for the fifth Around the Block exhibit. Fairbanks leads undergraduate and new work exhibitions and manages SAIC Galleries. He also teaches practicum courses in exhibition studies.
As a Parkland student, he worked in the Giertz Gallery. He then studied art history and painting at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Outside of his administrative responsibilities, Fairbanks is also a practicing artist.
"It was an honor to take part in this year's exhibition, to listen to the stories, questions, and see the visions these artists are bringing forward," Fairbanks says. "In curating this snapshot, I sought to honor the complexity of their efforts. To present work that captures a community not fixed in a single idea or identity, but that speaks to a broader landscape of making in this moment. I am excited for the public to experience this collection with the same spirit of inquiry and engagement that the artists have so clearly brought to their practices."
"We are delighted to host our fifth 'Around the Block' exhibition," gallery director Lisa Costello said. "It is always a pleasure to host such a community-oriented event where regional artists can exhibit their work, and family, friends, and neighbors can visit the gallery and view the artwork in person. The exhibition includes works by artists from our community and some alumni. It is a survey of artists living in our area, and I was pleased Josh agreed to be our juror."
Costello added: "Having been part of our community, he understands the importance of this exhibition, and I look forward to collaborating with him again. Working with 40 North: Champaign County's Art Council, they are a valuable resource in our community, and we enjoy partnering with them to make this an even larger and more successful exhibition.
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In collaboration with 40 North: Champaign County Arts Council, the "Around the Block V: Artists from Our Neighborhood" is a juried community exhibition of regional artists, including artists aged 18 and older residing in Champaign County and counties within District 505.
Josh Fairbanks, assistant director of exhibitions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), is the juror for the fifth Around the Block exhibit. Fairbanks leads undergraduate and new work exhibitions and manages SAIC Galleries. He also teaches practicum courses in exhibition studies.
As a Parkland student, he worked in the Giertz Gallery. He then studied art history and painting at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Outside of his administrative responsibilities, Fairbanks is also a practicing artist.
"It was an honor to take part in this year's exhibition, to listen to the stories, questions, and see the visions these artists are bringing forward," Fairbanks says. "In curating this snapshot, I sought to honor the complexity of their efforts. To present work that captures a community not fixed in a single idea or identity, but that speaks to a broader landscape of making in this moment. I am excited for the public to experience this collection with the same spirit of inquiry and engagement that the artists have so clearly brought to their practices."
"We are delighted to host our fifth 'Around the Block' exhibition," gallery director Lisa Costello said. "It is always a pleasure to host such a community-oriented event where regional artists can exhibit their work, and family, friends, and neighbors can visit the gallery and view the artwork in person. The exhibition includes works by artists from our community and some alumni. It is a survey of artists living in our area, and I was pleased Josh agreed to be our juror."
Costello added: "Having been part of our community, he understands the importance of this exhibition, and I look forward to collaborating with him again. Working with 40 North: Champaign County's Art Council, they are a valuable resource in our community, and we enjoy partnering with them to make this an even larger and more successful exhibition.
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