You've gotta have art: New gallery exhibition begins Sept. 23 with reception, awards ceremony

University of Michigan-Dearborn student Timothy Aaron Ammons (left) helped Joseph Marks, curator of collections and exhibitions at UM-Dearborn, hang artwork by the late Electra Stamelos in one of the conference rooms within the CASL dean's suite of offices recently. The works by Stamelos, who retired after many years as a lecturer in fine and applied arts at UM-Dearborn and director of art exhibitions and collections for the campus, were among 44 pieces hung throughout the dean's office suite in anticipation of the fall semester beginning.

For those seeking more art on campus, the Alfred Berkowitz Gallery on the third floor of the Mardigian Library will present “Open Competition 2011” Sept. 23 through Oct. 27, an exhibition that showcases and celebrates Michigan artists and promotes the resources of UM-Dearborn to diverse audiences.

The competition was open to the Michigan artists in both two and three dimensional artworks.  Bruce B. Winslow, artist and the director of the Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art of the Michigan Center for the Arts, was the juror for this competition, Marks said. Winslow selected 59 works of art by 50 artists for inclusion in the exhibition.

An opening reception for the exhibition will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, with an awards ceremony at 6 p.m.  The reception and awards ceremony are free and open to the public.

The Alfred Berkowitz Gallery is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For more information, call Marks at 313-593-5087, or email him at [email protected].