The 37th Annual Wind Challenge

Established in 1978, the Wind Challenge Exhibition Series is an annual juried competition that is committed to enriching and expanding people’s lives through art. Three Wind Challenge Exhibitions are held from September through May, featuring the work of exceptional artists living in the Philadelphia region.

The Wind Challenge Exhibition Series is made possible with thanks to generous support from the Wind Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and through Fleisher members.

Since its inception, the series has introduced regional contemporary art from over three hundred artists to a broad audience and has helped emerging artists advance their professional careers. Past Wind Challenge artists include photographer Robert Asman and sculptor Syd Carpenter, both of whom were later awarded a Pew Fellowship in the Arts; beloved Fleisher teaching artist Charlotte Yudis; and brothers Billy and Stephen Dufala, winners of the 2009 West Prize.  In 2011, a series of free-public programs led by the artists was introduced, designed to enhance the viewing experience for youth and adults.

The 37th annual Wind Challenge Exhibition Series will feature the work of Cynthia Back, Jenny Drumgoole, Jesse G. Engaard, Darla Jackson, Mami Kato, Peter Morgan, Lynn Palewicz, Theresa Rose, and Justin Webb.

Challenge 3

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Cynthia Back’s intaglio prints have long been concerned with natural forms. Starting with observation, the final image is culled from memory and shaped by her experience. In recent prints, Back references our changing landscape: the spread of suburban environments, mining and other industries, the subsequent destruction of habitats, and the homogenization of much of suburban growth. Her repeated motifs stress fragmentation and explore composition creating create fresh, exciting images that are powerful in their simplicity.

Darla Jackson’s sculpture is an exploration of the human psyche in which she strives to show the duality of emotions. In order to express these ideas, Jackson implements feelings that have been turned into recognizable visual objects, or symbols, and juxtaposes them with other elements. Through the anthropomorphism of animals, the use of strong body language of figures, and the use of symbolism, she conveys her emotions and ideas in a way that is more approachable for viewers. The end result is familiarity with an oddness that makes it compelling.

Lynn Palewicz combines photography, sculpture, and drawing to explore different approaches to self-portraiture, examining the self as subject, the self as material, and the self as creative impulse.

Wind Challenges