Student artists from TC’s Art & Art Education program submit their work each year for the Myers Art Prize — hoping to capture the attention and imagination of an esteemed judge from the art world. This year, 10 compelling pieces are on display at Macy Art Gallery through Feb. 6, and will join the College’s permanent collection for display across Columbia University — with their creators joining a legacy of innovative expression.
“To have your work acquired into a collection at an Ivy League institution is a real honor,” says Samantha Clay Reagan, the Art & Art Education program manager. “The prize motivates practice for our entire student body — getting those wheels turning, and inspiring students to create new work in response to something fresh and challenging.”
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Left: “The Connection” by Jennifer Ruth Hoyden. Right: “Accidental Grace” by Lily Morgan.
“Happen-stance” by Han Seok (John) You.
The submissions are anonymized and given to the juror who reviews all of the works and selects 10. This year’s honored works captured the theme of ‘serendipity,’ and were selected by guest judge Cris Scorza, a key leader at the intersection of art museums and education. The Helena Rubinstein Chair of Education at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Scorza is the latest in a tradition of esteemed judges with a “strong, progressive voice” and perspective relevant to the challenges at art institutions. For Scorza, this year’s Myers Prize winners “demonstrate how art can connect with viewers emotionally and intellectually, inspiring reflection and appreciation for the world around us.”
“Serendipity is a word that encompasses the extraordinary experience of discovering valuable or delightful things we hadn't sought. Each student selected for this year's Myers Prize forged meaningful connections, some that took me by surprise and others that resonated deeply with my own experiences,” wrote Scorza. “This exhibition, representing various mediums, showcases artists passionate about reaching an audience that will delight in unexpected encounters.”
Judith Burton, the Macy Professor of Education; Samantha Clay Reagan, the Art & Art Education program manager; and Myers Prize judge Cris Scorza, the Helena Rubinstein Chair of Education at the Whitney Museum of American Art, who makes the sole selection of winners (Photos: TC Archives and Scorza)
As the College’s most coveted accolade for artists, the Myers Prize honors the late Colonel Eugene E. Myers (M.A. ’47). Through the generous support of Myers and the Myers Foundations, the Art & Art Education program organizes the Myers Lecture Series and Myers Publications, in addition to the prize.
A World War II veteran, Myers parlayed his lifelong career and passion for the arts into generous support of the College. He “became our guardian angel,” in the words of TC’s Judith Burton, Macy Professor of Education, who “believed in keeping the arts alive in the young people of today.”
This exhibition, representing various mediums, showcases artists passionate about reaching an audience that will delight in unexpected encounters.
Established in 2010, the Myers Art Prize offers a monetary award and boosts the CVs of the selected artists. Notable past recipients include Erika Vogt, a 2021 winner and member of faculty at Bard’s MFA program whose work has been exhibited at the New Museum and the Whitney; and Ashely Mask, a 2013 winner and faculty member at Western Washington University whose career has spanned numerous artistic institutions.
For Burton, this year’s show “reflects the degree of experimental work that we do in our program. Our students have taken it beyond the program and into their own work,” says Burton, who helped originate the prize and revive the Macy Art Gallery during her many years at the College. “I had a smile on my face, looking around, because I could see where some of the work came from and how it’s expanded.”