Two Stand-Out June Shows Highlight Art at BWAC

by Jon Hammer

On June 18 the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition will throw open the iron shutters of its historic Civil War-era warehouse gallery space for five new exhibitions on its two floors. Each has their own charm and attraction, but two stand out as exceptionally special: Wide Open 12 and Dreams Beyond Reason.

Wide Open 12, the latest iteration of this national juried exhibition, commands the first floor. The freedom from a single overriding concept gave artists free rein to release the pent up energies of over two years of pandemic restrictions and reactions into their art. The exhibit is juried by Sadaf Padder, an independent curator, writer, and art dealer based in Brooklyn. Choosing from a diverse field of artists from all across the country, Padder has selected a wonderfully wide variety of artwork; representational and abstract, in three dimensions and two, and expressed in a myriad of media. Two critical qualities unite this artistic miscellany: a clarity in the artist’s concept, and a mastery of technique in the service of the image. As welcome as summer itself, co-curators Therese Urban and Sandra Forrest have arranged Wide Open 12 in a scintillating presentation of art’s vitality and freedom, making it a must-see show for the season.

Also on view on BWAC's second floor is a solo exhibition of prints by Emily Legleitner entitled, Dreams Beyond Reason. Legleitner’s virtuoso woodcuts won first prize in the Prints 2021 exhibition at BWAC last year. Her solo show wittily explores the individual’s relationship to events and forces beyond one’s control using the visual context of the everyday domestic world. The work persistently presents the viewer with moments when the familiar edges toward the unnerving, a sensation which has become more frequent for many of us, as we navigate our current reality.

BWAC is located at 481 Van Brunt Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The gallery is open weekends from 1 to 6 pm. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 1 to 6 pm. BWAC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit maintained by its volunteer artist members. For more information, visit bwac.org.