Every time I’m asked to judge an art exhibit, I’m reminded how impossible the task really is. This past weekend I had the honor of judging SuperSonicArt’s online community exhibit centered around the theme of “Memory,” and narrowing down the work was far more difficult than people might imagine from the outside.
The exhibit was incredibly diverse in both medium and approach. There were mixed media works sitting beside sculpture, digital pieces next to traditional painting, quiet intimate moments contrasted with loud conceptual ideas. Some artists approached memory through nostalgia, others through loss, fragmentation, humor, or even abstraction. That variety is what made the exhibit exciting, but it also made the judging process especially complicated because only one prize will ultimately be awarded. Each judge was asked to select a top three, and even getting to that point felt like trying to choose favorite stars in the sky.
Over the years, I’ve judged quite a few competitions and exhibitions. After more than twenty years as both a gallery owner and working artist, I’ve been asked many times to evaluate collections of artwork. People often assume there’s some neat formula involved, but for me it’s always been a balancing act between instinct and analysis. My process usually begins with the gut reaction. Which pieces stop me immediately? Which works pull me in emotionally through color, composition, atmosphere, or subject matter? I make mental notes of the pieces I keep returning to before I begin looking more critically at execution and technique.
But this exhibit challenged that process in a really refreshing way. How do you compare a beautifully executed sculpture to an emotionally raw digital work? How do you weigh technical mastery against conceptual impact when the mediums are so wildly different? Some works weren’t necessarily “perfect,” but they lingered in my mind long after viewing them. Others showcased remarkable craftsmanship that demanded attention. In the end, I found myself wrestling less with which pieces were “best” and more with which pieces stayed with me the longest.
That’s the strange truth about judging art: it is deeply subjective, no matter how experienced the juror may be. A different judge could come away with a completely different top three, and honestly, that’s part of what makes art so fascinating. The goal isn’t to discover some universal truth about creativity. It’s simply to engage honestly with the work in front of you.
To everyone who participated in the exhibit, thank you. Truly. The work was thoughtful, surprising, vulnerable, and ambitious in ways that made the entire experience energizing. Seeing artists interpret a single theme through so many different lenses was incredibly refreshing.
And if you were part of the exhibit and would like feedback on your work, please feel free to reach out. One of my favorite parts of experiences like this is the conversation that happens afterward. I'll share the winners once they are annouced.
