OffCenter exhibition 'New Works' recognizes creative potential

OffCenter Arts, in partnership with the city of Albuquerque Public Art Program, presents “New Works,” an exhibition by 23 local artists.

“New Works” is the culmination of a 12-week professional development program designed for artists who have been experiencing adverse social, economic or cultural barriers to art making or going through difficult life transitions. Twenty-two program participants are exhibiting their work alongside one program volunteer.

“At OffCenter, as a free community art space, we serve a high proportion of unhoused folks with disabilities, and queer and trans folks,” said Mika Maloney, OffCenter Arts’ executive director. “And that’s pretty well reflected in this program. It was an open application, but we prioritized underserved artists. And there’s a lot of artists that are in some kind of transition, whether that is about housing, or recovering from trauma, or a traumatic brain injury or some other health issue. There’s a great diversity in the sort of transitions that folks in the program have experienced.”

In some cases, Maloney said, participants had a serious professional art practice in the past but had to suspend it while dealing with issues such as chronic illnesses or caretaking for a family member.

“Other folks are looking at deepening or expanding their art practice, or they’re starting to think about it in a more professional way for the first time,” Maloney said.

The 12-week course included educational workshops, group critiques and advice on talking to art dealers, curators and collectors. Free art supplies were provided, as well.

Many of the participating artists, who ranged in age from their 20s through their 70s, felt anxious sharing their work with strangers at the beginning of the program. But their initial discomfort faded as the weeks went on, according to OffCenter’s gallery coordinator Dahlia Jarjusey, who was also a critique leader.

“At first, everyone was super nervous and timid about talking about their work,” Jarjusey said. “But by the end, everyone was really open and vulnerable, which I thought was really special.”

Maloney gave credit to the program facilitators. “They’re so skilled at giving gentle support and creating space for people to recognize their own creative potential,” she said.

As a program sponsor, the city of Albuquerque Public Art Program has made a commitment to purchasing some of the pieces in “New Works” for its permanent collection.

“The opportunity to be part of the public art collection is huge,” Maloney said. “At the same time, we’re trying to give them a lot of professional development skills and resources, so this isn’t just a one and done, where they sell one thing and are not set up to ever sell anything again.”

Since all of the works in the show are actively being considered by the city, they will not be available for sale to the general public this month. But anyone who attends the June 6 reception is encouraged to talk to their favorite artists about other works, including prints, that may be available for sale.

“We have a really diverse show, a big variety of mediums,” Maloney said. “It’s all 2D, but we’ve got collage paintings, stained glass, mixed-media, oil, acrylic, watercolor … There’s a nice mix.”

The exhibition will be on view at Fusion through June 22, with a reception on the evening of Friday, June 6, during ABQ Artwalk.

OffCenter exhibition 'New Works' recognizes creative potential