Art at the Minnesota State Fair 2024
ART AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR 2024: The Minnesota State Fair is popularized as a place to eat just about anything on a stick. And, yes, the available food options run the gamut from down-home normal to “Wow, that’s different!” But in addition to the food, the rides, the animals, the shows, and the merchandise for sale, there is also fine art to be admired. Fine Art!
“Built in 1907, the Fine Arts Center originally served as the Dairy Building and eventually became Machinery Hall. In 1980, it became home to the fair’s Fine Arts Exhibition, Minnesota’s largest juried art show. Before finding a permanent home in the old Dairy Building, the Fine Arts Exhibition had been held at various locations, including the third floor of the Grandstand. It is one of the two oldest buildings on the fairgrounds along with the neighboring Progress Center” (from: https://www.mnstatefair.org/general-info/history-historic-buildings-landmarks/ ).
On the Tuesday before the Fair opened, M and I had the privilege of attending a
preliminary viewing of the art. I am continually amazed at the creativity and talent of my fellow Minnesotans. There were 2,281 art submissions and from those, 333 were chosen.
Below is a sampling of some of the artwork. There were several photographs that I would have liked to share, but the glare off the frame’s glass obscured the subject matter. Even some of the ones below, are affected by the glare from the building’s windows or lights:
GLUT by Priscilla Briggs: archival ink print. This one was my favorite!
CABBAGE HOUSES by Bruce Nygren; oil on canvas
BLACK FLY SEASON by Trent Spies; digital print
SCRAP METAL DEER by Brian Quail; scrap metal sculpture
CALABAZAS by Susan Dunlop; oil on wood panel
I know that my photos did not do justice to these works of art. To view the Fine Arts catalog, see: https://issuu.com/mnstatefairfinearts/docs/24-fine-arts-catalog?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ
MAGDALENE by Daniel Volenec; oil on panel
