Contemporary Art Month (CAM), a San Antonio-based nonprofit organization that promotes local artists through a month-long series of exhibitions and events, has announced the artists selected to participate in the 2024 CAM Perennial.
Since its founding in 2012, the CAM Perennial invites curators from outside of San Antonio to organize an exhibition exchange featuring local artists and artists from another city. This year, Christopher Blay, Chief Curator at the Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC), is serving as the guest curator for the annual show. The 2024 Perennial was open to artists from San Antonio and Houston.
Selected Houston artists are Shavon Aja Morris, Nela Garzón, Jennifer Battaglia, Zulma Vega, Marc Newsome, and Preston Gaines. Selected San Antonio artists are Monique Sullivan, Juan Carlos Escobedo, Mark Anthony Martinez, Alán Serna, Raul Rene Gonzalez, and Ricky Armendariz.
About the selection process, Mr. Blay told Glasstire, “There was a stunning breadth of incredible work from applicants in San Antonio and Houston. It was an honor to have visited with and selected works from these 12 artists who were chosen from the nearly 300 applicants. I narrowed my selection to 16 artists, eight from each city and did studio visits over the course of two weekends this past fall to finalize my.”
He continued, “Some of the themes that emerged from the 2024 cohort explore ideas around migration, displacement, and what it means to lose or long for that connection. I am grateful to Barbara Felix and Nina Hassele, the staff at CAM, and also the staff at the Contemporary at Blue Star for their support as well as their tireless efforts to create a platform for the works of San Antonio (and this year, Houston) artists. Congratulations to all the artists who applied, and particularly to the artists who will be a part of the CAM Perennial, 2024!”
The 2024 CAM Perennial exhibition will be hosted by the Contemporary at Blue Star. The show opens on Friday, March 1, with a reception from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and will run through June 9, 2024.
Learn more about CAM and upcoming events at the organization’s website. Other scheduled events during Contemporary Art Month include:
CAM Student Film Festival
Friday, March 8, time TBA
Tobin Center for Performing Arts
CAM Breakout Series – Performance Art
Saturday, March 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Ruby City
CAMMIE Awards & CAM Closing Celebration
Saturday, March 30, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Space C7
