#93: MFA Annual, Juror: Randi Hopkins, ICA/Boston

Cover: Michael Hilsman The MFA Annual edition of New American Paintings has quickly become our most popular issue of the year—and rightly so. For nearly two decades, our mission has been to put the work of emerging contemporary artists in the hands of readers, collectors, curators, and painting enthusiasts, and where better to find young, emerging work than in some of best studio programs the country. We’re very proud to feature our talented friend Randi Hopkins, Associate Curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, as this edition’s juror. Randi has had extensive experience working directly with emerging artists for several years, and her selections make for one of the most exciting group of MFA candidates we’ve published to date. Also included is a Q&A with Randi in the back of the book, in which she talks Rauschenberg, Monet, and Eddie Martinez. The Spotlight feature for this edition focuses on San Francisco’s Ruth Laskey, previously featured in the 2005 MFA Annual and a recent recipient of a prestigious SECA Art Award from SFMOMA for her handmade linen work. Laskey moved from painting to weaving during grad school, and her work elegantly re-examines the traditional practice of painting. This is an exciting moment for contemporary painting, with artists—young and old—re-evaluating the use of their materials and investigating the limits of the medium itself. The works contained in this issue reflect some of the most talented and exciting perspectives from emerging young artists in the country. To see a complete list of the artists featured in this year's MFA Annual, and see images of their work, click the link below to keep reading! —Evan J. Garza, Editor-at-Large

Benjamin Edmiston, Untitled (Head) | Gouache, ink, and watercolor on paper, 28 x 22.5 inches

Winners: MFA Annual Competition 2010 Juror: Randi Hopkins, Associate Curator, Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston

Gina Adams, University of Kansas Njideka Akunyili, Yale University Sarah Awad, UCLA Guy Ben-Ari, Columbia University Tom Betthauser, Yale University Biff Bolen, University of South Florida Caetlynn Booth, Rutgers University Jody Christian, University of North Carolina, Greensboro Jeremy Couillard, Columbia University Matthew Craig, Tyler School of Art, Temple University Benjamin Edmiston, Brooklyn College Narangkar Glover, UC Berkeley Zoe Hawk, University of Iowa Craig Hawkins, Lamar Dodd School of Art Michael Hilsman, Hunter College Joyce Ho, University of Iowa Loie Hollowell, Virginia Commonwealth University Helena Hsieh, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Andrea Jensen, University of Arizona Katie Kehoe, Maryland Institute College of Art Doron Langberg, Yale University Nazafarin Lotfi, School of the Art Institute of Chicago Joshua Lynn, Savannah College of Art and Design Maciej Makalowski, San Francisco Art Institute Katherine McCullough, Washington University Mary Jo McGonagle, Massachusetts College of Art and Design Saori Moriizumi, University of Pennsylvania Julie Oppermann, Hunter College Andres Ortega, The Lehman College University Erin Payne, Claremont Graduate University Marcus Payzant, University of Texas at Austin Cima Rahmankhah, Art Center College of Design Chris Reno, University of Iowa Scott Robinson, University of Florida NANO Rubio, Claremont Graduate University Emily Stout, Memphis College of Art Fabian G. Tabibian, Hunter College Rebecca Volinsky, Parsons The New School for Design Adam Weir, Towson University Leah Wolff, Columbia University