In anticipation of the 2024 West Michigan Area Show’s opening on May 3, juror Jessica Silverman sits down for a conversation with Rehema Barber, the KIA’s Director of Curatorial Affairs. Drawing on perspectives honed from many years working in curatorial positions in both the commercial and non-profit art sectors, Silverman and Barber will discuss the challenges that artists face while forging careers in the field today, as well as opportunities and strategies for future growth. Attendees are welcome and encouraged to ask questions and share their own perspectives.

Guest juror Jessica Silverman holds a BFA from Otis College and an MA in Curatorial Practices from the California College of the Arts. Her eponymous San Francisco gallery was founded in 2008 and represents artists who make museum-worthy art at all stages of their careers. Works from the gallery have found homes in prominent museums across the US and abroad.