The 97th Michigan Contemporary Art Exhibition continues a rich legacy of showcasing the work of Michigan artists, from talented beginners to accomplished professionals, at the Muskegon Museum of Art from September 10 – November 4. A public reception and awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, September 10 from 5 – 8 PM with awards announced at 6 PM.

The Michigan Contemporary Art Exhibition first began in 1927 and is the longest-running juried exhibition of its kind in Michigan. The exhibition takes a look at the issues, themes, and materials inspiring today’s Michigan artists. A visitor favorite, the exhibition engages, challenges, and inspires conversation while also allowing the public an opportunity to purchase artwork featured in the show.

Visitors will enjoy 90 works from nearly 70 Michigan artists from across the state with artwork ranging in media from painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, and more. Eleven prizes are awarded to artists, with the largest prize being $1,500 for Best of Show. Prizewinners will be announced on Thursday, September 10 during the opening reception and awards ceremony. Many of the works of art in the exhibition are available for the public to purchase.

Lauren Semivan—a Detroit photographer whose work has been exhibited at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Cranbrook Art Museum, The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, The Museum of Wisconsin Art, and more—selected the works in the exhibition this year. Lauren states, “The work submitted brings to light a diverse range of ideas and unique approaches to subject matter and media. Just a few themes across submissions were meditations on the beauty of the natural world, a preoccupation with the omnipresence of technology, the demonstration of highly skilled art and craft, and reflections on personal and collective identity. This exhibition opens a window onto our human environment at this present moment, while also revealing our shared perspectives and histories.”

A public reception and awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, September 10 from 5 – 8 PM with awards announced at 6 PM.

For more information or questions, contact Megan DeWitt at mdewitt@muskegonartmuseum.org or call at (231) 720-2574.