Stockton University recently announced that it will display the largest exhibition in the history of the Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University — one that is so big, two locations are needed to display the works.
The exhibit, titled “Mother Nature vs. Human Nature: The Inequity of Climate Resilience,” is the New Jersey Arts Annual Exhibition for 2023. It will run from Feb. 1 to June 24. The display will feature 105 artworks by 103 artists who either live or work in New Jersey, and will be held at both the Noyes Arts Garage in Atlantic City and at Stockton’s Kramer Hall in Hammonton.
“It is the largest group of participants in the museum’s history,” said Noyes Museum Executive Director Michael Cagno. “And it’s compelling evidence of New Jersey’s dedication to and passion for the arts.”
The museum received a $50,000 grant from the state last summer to stage the climate-themed exhibit. The host of the state Arts Annual Exhibition rotates each year among different museums throughout the state. Cagno said the Noyes last hosted in 2016.
The artwork features a wide variety of different pieces, from sculpture and ink drawings to multimedia, photographs and oil and watercolor paintings. That variety was important to the exhibit’s jurors — local artists Suzanne Horvitz and Robert Roesch.
“We sought to create a balance and variety of materials, media and process,” Horvitz said. “We are impressed by the skill and creativity of the works submitted and by the innovation in techniques and technology used by many of the artists. That might not have been available a few decades ago.”
Although the exhibit contains many pieces, Horvitz said many “exceptional artworks had to be excluded.”
“This was one of the most competitive shows we have juried, and, as visual artists, we know how much time and effort goes into these submissions,” she said.
Cagno said the Noyes is grateful to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for providing the funds and support for the exhibit.
“As we elevate the accomplished artists of our state, we also renew our commitment to fostering excellence in the visual arts and supporting a diverse range of artists in all stages of their careers,” he said. “We are proud to continue providing opportunities for the New Jersey arts community.”
“We’re extremely grateful to the board and staff at the Noyes Museum of Art — not only for their work on the exhibition, but for recognizing how the arts spark important, global conversations,” Danielle Bursk, director of community partnerships and artist services at the state arts council, said. “We are excited that the thought-provoking perspectives these artists provide will have an even broader impact through the two locations where the work can be seen and celebrated.”
The Noyes Arts Garage, located on Fairmount Avenue in Atlantic City, houses two museums, the Noyes Museum of Art Galleries and the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey.
The Noyes Galleries at Kramer Hall, located on Front Street in Hammonton, add vibrancy to the Arts District in downtown Hammonton.
