Feature image: North of the 45th: 18th Annual Upper Midwest Juried Exhibition. Photo: Artdose magazine.
Frank Juárez
The North of the 45th: 18th Annual Upper Midwest Juried Exhibition opened on June 20th at the DeVos Art Museum, 1401 Presque Isle Ave, Marquette, MI 49855, located on the Northern Michigan University campus. The exhibition features works by 27 artists from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Featured artists are Abigail Ahlberg, Eric Benson, Tiffany Besonen, Meghan Bjork, Rachel Collier, Gordon Coons, Stacy Davis, Rebecca Gallandt, Autumn Garrington, Cynthia Greig, Amanda Hamilton, AJ Jensen, Emerson Jermstad, Allegra Lockstadt, Stephen Magner, Guy Nelson, Drew Peterson, Vicky Radel, Michal Sagar, David Schmitt, Ximou Song, Sally Sorenson, Meghan Sullivan, Heidi Wanzek, Michon Weeks, Danny Yaeger, and Therese Zemlin. The exhibition was juried by Rebecca Heidenberg.
For the past few years, I have known about North of the 45th. This exhibition has an annual call for artists in the upper Midwest region (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin). Marquette is about a 4-hour drive up nort from where I live. Luckily, I was in the area and finally saw this year’s exhibition. When we think about the art world, we often associate it with being such a large ecosystem comprised of artists, galleries, institutions, collectors, and so on. What I enjoy is experiencing how small it truly is with a hint of familiarity and curiosity. With camera in hand, I entered the gallery. At first glance, there was a good representation of 2-D and 3-D works ranging from paintings to sculpture, textile to photography, and mixed media to assemblage. The work spans across genres and media.
As I strolled through the gallery, I noticed how balanced the curation felt, considering a greater presence of 2-D versus 3-D. Knowing that this is a common occurrence in many juried exhibitions, it did not impact my experience. Honestly, it gave a bit of a surprise at every turn, such as the ceramic sculptures by Meghan Sullivan.
At a distance, I noticed a familiar piece from an artist I was introduced to at the Door County Contemporary in early June. The artist is Rachel Collier. This is when I began wondering which other artists I may know personally or have heard of. I do not exactly know why I subconsciously do this. Perhaps it is my way of creating a space to wander and wonder. When you discover new artists, that is a sign of a successful exhibition.
To get a sense of what is being created in our region, this type of exhibition is a great example of discovering an array of contemporary works. On Friday, July 25, at 6 pm, there will be a juror’s talk and closing reception.
The exhibition runs through August 1, 2025.
If you go:
DeVos Art Museum
North of the 45th
through August1, 2025
1401 Presque Isle Ave, Marquette, MI 49855
Frank Juárez is an award-winning art educator, curator, arts writer, and arts advocate based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Known for his commitment to elevating contemporary art and supporting Wisconsin artists, Juárez has spearheaded numerous initiatives, including the Midwest Artist Studios Project and the 365 Artists 365 Days Project. In addition to his roles as publisher of Artdose magazine and editor-in-chief of SchoolArts magazine, Juárez has curated exhibitions and juried art shows throughout the Midwest. His dedication to art education and advocacy has earned him numerous accolades, making him a pivotal figure in Wisconsin’s art community.