CINCINNATI (April 2, 2009) – The Cincinnati Art Museum is pleased to announce that Don Lambert of Maineville, Ohio has been selected as the winner of the inaugural 4th Floor Award. The four finalists were Ana England of Felicity, Ohio; Kate Kern of Cincinnati, Ohio; Latitia Quesenberry of Louisville, Kentucky and Matthew Weddington of Lexington, Kentucky.
“The members of the 4th Floor were impressed by the range of work submitted for consideration,” said Jéssica Flores García, Associate Curator of Contemporary Art. “Don Lambert’s work was set apart by its sculptural power, visual clarity and its innovative use of art to explore political, societal and global issues, which speaks to the spirit of this award.”
Past works by Lambert include Fracture Utopia (2004), an installation of cardboard constructions using Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxien map as both representation and shelter. Current works in progress are Flatland and Domestique. Using a large black and white spinning disc, Flatland creates the illusion of all the colors of the rainbow, while Domestique is a series of works that uses household chores to make art in everyday situations. The 4th Floor Award exhibition will be Lambert's first at the Cincinnati Art Museum
The 4th Floor Award was established by the Art Museum’s contemporary art interest group, 4th Floor, to encourage local and regional artists. By encouraging discovery and dialogue between artists, collectors and contemporary art enthusiasts on a local level, the Award is meant to create new connections and appreciation in the local art scene. Nearly 70 artists responded to the open call for entries in December and January. Members of the Art Museum’s 4th Floor group were the sole voting members and narrowed the field to seven semi-finalists selections by reviewing submitted materials. Studio visits with each semi-finalist took place in March, followed by member discussions and voting, from which four finalists and a winner were chosen. The 4th Floor Award winner received $1,000 and a solo exhibition of their work will be held in the Art Museum’s Vance-Waddell Gallery from September 5 through November 29, 2009. One piece from the exhibition will become part of the Art Museum’s permanent collection. The four finalists received $500 each.
“It is imperative that we support and recognize the numerous artists who live in the region,” said Aaron Betsky, Director of the Art Museum. “Through this award and other 4th Floor projects, we hope to draw attention to the wealth of creativity present in Cincinnati, and foster a sense of community between collectors, fans and artists.”
Lambert received his BFA from the University of Cincinnati and his MFA with an emphasis in sculpture and new genres from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in both solo and group exhibitions at venues including Proctor & Gamble and Radio Grenouille in Marseille, France. Lambert’s work explores structures and processes of social identities using scientific theory, philosophy and aesthetics. As Lambert explains, “The works are as much process and interaction as they are object.” Lambert has taught at Westwood College, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Chase Elementary in Chicago, Illinois. Lambert currently works as a creative consultant, assisting businesses with creative consultation and artistic direction.
England earned her MA in Ceramics and MFA in Sculpture from San Jose State University in San Jose, California. Her work, which references nature and the earth sciences, has been featured in solo and two-person exhibitions and over forty group exhibitions. In addition to her numerous commissions she has been featured in national publications, including Ceramics Monthly, The Artist’s Magazine and Kentucky Homes and Gardens. England has received numerous awards, most recently the Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship, Northern Kentucky University Full Year Sabbatical Awards and Faculty Summer Fellowship Award as well as a 2-week survey of traditional Japanese ceramics in 2007. England is currently Professor of Art at Northern Kentucky University.
Kern holds a BFA from the University of Dayton and an MFA in Drawing from the University of Cincinnati. Kern has exhibited in over thirty group exhibitions and ten solo exhibitions. Her work is based on drawing and bookmaking, and in addition to her installations, Kern has published a number of artist books. In recent years, Kern has been the recipient of many awards and honors, including the Cincinnati Books Arts Society Award of Excellence, Ohio Arts Council Artists Project Grant and Artist in Residence of the Ohio Arts Council’s Arts Learning Program. Kern also served as co-chair and member of the Cincinnati Recreation Commission’s Public Art Committee from 2005-07.
Quesenberry’s ethereal work has been featured in numerous exhibitions throughout the Midwest, as well as Smack Mellon, Pierogi Flat Files and The Drawings Center in New York. Quesenberry attended the University of Cincinnati where she earned her BFA and has received grants from the Pace Trust for Visual Arts, Kentucky Foundation for Women, Sister Cities Artist Enrichment Program as well as the Efroymson Contemporary Arts Fellowship and Ucross Foundation, Wyoming Artist Residency.
Weddington is a Kentucky native and earned his BFA from the University of Kentucky and MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His provocative works were featured in his solo exhibition, I Love You, at 1R Gallery in Chicago, Illinois. Weddington has participated in group exhibitions across the country and has been included in numerous publications, including Art Papers, The Reader and Creative Loafing. In addition to teaching and lecturing across the United States, Weddington serves as the Assistant Director of Admissions for The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
The 4th Floor is an Art Museum membership group designed for contemporary art enthusiasts and is advised by a committee of 4th Floor members, Jéssica Flores García and Director Aaron Betsky. Members meet throughout the year for informal social events, including studio and gallery visits, private tours of local exhibitions and a behind-the-scenes look at the Art Museum’s permanent collections. For more information about 4th Floor membership, please visit www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org/4thfloor.
# # #
Media Contact: Patricia Hynes, (513) 639-2005, patricia.hynes@cincyart.org
Editor’s Notes: Images are available upon request.
Located in scenic Eden Park, the Cincinnati Art Museum features an unparalleled art collection of more than 60,000 works spanning 6,000 years. In addition to displaying its own broad collection, the Art Museum also hosts several national and international traveling exhibitions each year. Visitors can enjoy the exhibitions or participate in the Art Museum’s wide range of art-related programs, activities and special events. General admission is always free for all, plus Art Museum members receive additional benefits. The Art Museum is open six days a week, making greater Cincinnati’s most treasured cultural asset accessible to everyone.
Hours of operation are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays until 9 p.m. The Art Museum is closed on Mondays. The Art Museum is located at 953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202. For general information, call (513) 639-2995 or visit www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org.
The Cincinnati Art Museum is supported by the generosity of individuals and businesses that give annually to the Fine Arts Fund. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund the Cincinnati Art Museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Cincinnati Art Museum gratefully acknowledges operating support from the City of Cincinnati, as well as our members. The Official Airline of the Cincinnati Art Museum is Delta.