Rachel Linnemann, 2021 winner of the Young Sculptors $10,000 Yeck Purchase Award will present the second of two lectures for the Selections from the Miami University Yeck 21st Century Collection of Painting and Sculpture exhibit.
Growing up in rural Appalachia, Rachel Linnemann often saw objects being reused in unconventional ways out of necessity. These objects were used to repair something broken or utilize what one had to make do. She also witnessed a lot of hardship. Within her family, this hardship was partnered with gratitude and internal pride. The gratitude was focused on what one did have and the ability within oneself. When Linnemann witnessed blue collared workers being deemed essential, and significant job loss due to the pandemic, she felt compelled to put into practice the lessons of gratitude and joy that can be present despite difficulty, that she learned from her Appalachian ancestors. This body of work is celebrating various forms of labor and highlighting labor that is often overlooked or underappreciated. This is done by pairing the mundane with what she calls “visual joy.”
The Selections exhibit features works from the past twenty-three years as the Hiestand Galleries and the College of Creative Arts celebrate the Miami University Young Painters and the Miami University Young Sculptors Competitions. These competitions are a generous gift from William (Miami Class of 1936) and Dorothy Yeck of Dayton, Ohio. As part of the exhibition, former Yeck Purchase Awardees will be invited back to campus to participate in public events and connecting with students in the Department of Art. Featured artists include: Daniel Dove, Kahlil Robert Irving, Rachel Linnemann, Dana Oldfather, Annie Ewaskio, Christine Gray, Eric LoPresti, Meena Hasan and Carrie Longley.
