Brand Associates, in partnership with Brand Library & Art Center and Glendale Library, Arts & Culture, announced the opening of the 52^nd Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper (Brand 52), on view through Aug. 9 at Brand Library & Art Center. The exhibition includes over 100 artworks chosen by juror Shana Nys Dambrot, a renowned art critic, author and curator.

This year, over 1,500 artworks were submitted to Brand Associates through an open call process. As an experienced juror, Dambrot looked initially for artworks that demonstrate skill, innovation, finesse, beauty, power and message.

“For this ‘Paper’ extravaganza, I’ve gathered works that I feel are in deep dialogue with each other across a few key vectors,” said Dambrot. “First and foremost, profound engagement with the materiality of paper as a medium, and in some cases as an object itself. Ultimately this is what everything I ended up including has in common – they embrace, elevate, explore and expand what a work on paper can be.”

Exhibition chairperson Debra Thompson is the president of Brand Associates and recently retired from her position as an adjunct assistant professor of art history at Glendale Community College.

“Epic is not a word to be used lightly or often, but it fits Brand 52 in many ways,” said Thompson. “This year saw the largest number of artworks entered (1,574) and the largest number of artists chosen for exhibition (102). Our artists have mastered a difficult medium through painting, drawing, cutting, folding, molding, tearing, adding and subtracting, gluing and taping, weaving, and sewing. The results are by turn beautiful, profound and engaging.”

The majority of artworks on display in Brand 52 are available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds going to support cultural programming at Brand. Art and catalogs will be for sale at the opening event and beginning the following week from the Associates’ website: AssociatesOfBrand.org.

Gallery admission is free and open to the public during library open hours. On-site, limited, free parking is available; ride-share is encouraged.

Brand Library & Art Center hours are Tuesday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., closed Sunday & Monday.

Brand Library & Art Center is located at 1601 W. Mountain St. in Glendale.