NEWS: 2013 Visual Arts Fellowship Recipients Announced

2013 Visual Arts Fellowship Recipients Announced

Two Photographers Will Each Receive $10,000 Award

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Division of Arts & Museums is proud to announce its two Visual Arts Fellowship recipients for 2013: photographers Christopher M. Gauthier and Mark Finch Hedengren. This year’s juror, Richard Roth, an artist and faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University, said, “The fact that both artists are photographers was not a factor in my selection; the urgency and insightfulness of their missions, however, was deemed highly relevant, necessary to today’s world. Gauthier’s exquisite portraits of autistic individuals serve to personalize those too often seen as statistics. Hedengren’s photographs allow us to see ourselves as joyful and uncanny creatures, beautiful and defiled – presented with grand virtuosity.” Gauthier and Hedengren will each receive a $10,000 award, and a short documentary featuring each artist will be co-produced through a partnership with Utah Arts & Museums and the visual arts magazine 15Bytes.com.

“We congratulate Christopher Gauthier and Mark Finch Hedengren on being awarded these fellowships,” said Margaret Hunt, Director of Utah Arts & Museums. “The talent and inventiveness of Utah’s visual artists is consistently impressive. We look forward to seeing the future work of these two artists.”

The two recipients were among 66 professional artists who applied for this year’s award. “The state of Utah appears to have a thriving community of visual artists in all disciplines,” said juror Roth. “I came upon many accomplished and deserving artists in my review of portfolios. Adam Bateman’s conceptual sculpture and projects, Pam Bowman’s ambitious installations, Richard Gate’s smart and beautiful paintings, John Hess’s masterful woven fabric pieces, Andrea Jensen’s sensitive and complex paintings, Jared Steffensen’s funny/smart installations and video, and Roland Thompson’s high-energy shaped paintings on aluminum – I wish there were more fellowships to award.”

Christopher Gauthier teaches at Utah State University. His most recent project, “Evidence and Artifacts,” has stimulated dialogue about the impact of environmental insults on human health and development. Selections from “Evidence and Artifacts: Facing Autism” has been exhibited at Johns Hopkins University and for two consecutive years at the U.S. Autism and Asperger Association World Conference. “I am honored to receive the Utah Visual Arts Fellowship,” said Gauthier. “This amazing funding support will open so many new opportunities to create and exhibit, ultimately giving this project wings. My hope is that the portraits will convey a sense of urgency about understanding what is causing the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder to rise so rapidly, and will humanize the statistics in a way that will move people to action.” Autism advocacy became a personal imperative when he became aware of the link between his environmental concerns and his children’s autism. More information is available athttp://www.christophergauthier.com/

Mark Finch Hedengren lives in Provo and has been working on several photography projects that explore how and why people recreate in nature. He’s done a series on cliff jumpers and tent dwellers. He hopes to base his next body of work around the Utah ski resorts. “It’s a real honor to be selected for this fellowship, and I’m excited to get to create work over the next year,” said Hedengren. “I’m also excited to see what everyone else in the vibrant Utah visual arts community will create. It’s a real joy to live and work in Utah.” For more information, visit http://www.markhedengren.com/

Fellowships are available for individual artists practicing crafts, painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, artist’s bookmaking, and working in new genres such as conceptual arts and video. Applying artists must demonstrate professionalism in their art through quality images and documentation. Artists must be Utah residents not enrolled in a degree- or certificate-granting program. More information can be found at http://visualartsfellowship.org

About Utah Arts & Museums

Utah Arts & Museums is a division of the Utah Department of Heritage and Arts with a goal to promote innovation in and the growth of Utah’s arts and culture community. The division provides funding, education, and technical services to individuals and organizations statewide so that all Utahns, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or economic status, can access, understand, and receive the benefits of arts and culture. Additional information on the programs and services can be found at artsandmuseums.utah.gov or by calling 801.236.7555.