The art community has always been a breeding ground for collaboration and camaraderie amongst artists. The Brooklyn Museum harnessed that cooperative spirit to mount the exhibition Go: a community-curated open studio project, which is now on view through February 24, 2013.
Brooklyn, home to the most artists in the United States, was an ideal place to launch the initiative, which is aimed at fostering exchange between artists, their communities, and the Brooklyn Museum. In September, over 1,700 artists opened their studios to the community, drawing more than 18,000 visitors who ultimately served as curators. Community member nominated ten artists and museum curators whittled that number down to five to be featured in the exhibition.
Organized by the Brooklyn Museum’s Managing Curator of Exhibitions, Sharon Matt Atkins, and Chief of Technology, Shelley Bernstein, GO features the work of Adrian Coleman, Oliver Jeffers, Naomi Safran-Hon, Gabrielle Watson, and Yeon Ji Yoo. Officials drew inspiration from the well-known programs ArtPrize, a publicly juried art competition, which takes place each year in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and open studio weekends, which are a staple in the Brooklyn community.