With the pandemic shutting down the region for months, many residents turned toward supporting local businesses and artists during this difficult time. The area can continue to support local up-and-coming artists at the Torpedo Factory Art Center’s 2020 Emerging Artists exhibition.
The third annual exhibit is being held at the Target Gallery through Sunday, Sept. 13. Four DMV artists are featured in the exhibit, including MK Bailey, Mahsa R. Fard, Zia Palmer and Latrelle Rostant.
“This exhibition has added importance this year, as the current environment has been a challenge and impacted many sectors of society, including the visual arts,” said Leslie Mounaime, curator of exhibitions at the art center in a recent press release. “It is an opportunity to support our region’s rising talent and elevate their profiles, give them an artist stipend and give them a platform for sales, as much of the work is available for purchase too.”
To enter their work into the show, all artists had to live within the DMV with no more than five years of experience as a professional exhibiting artist. All artists also have never had their own solo show.
In lieu of the traditional opening reception, the art center will be holding a virtual reception through Facebook Live on Friday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. At the reception, viewers will get a virtual tour of the exhibition and have an in-depth conversation with the artists and jurors on the state of the emerging arts scene during the time of a global crisis.
The Target Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m Wednesdays through Sundays. The gallery will allow a limited number of people in the exhibit to ensure social distancing, and the art center also asks visitors to wear face coverings while indoors and use hand sanitizer or wash their hands frequently. // 105 N. Union St., Alexandria
For more ways to spend your summer, subscribe to our Things to Do newsletters.