This episode is your guidebook to our 2025 First Friday Exhibitions series. Today, NOT REAL ART Editor-in-Chief Morgan Laurens joins the podcast to share the first half of this year’s exhibition schedule, beginning with January's exploration of figurative art, Out of Body: New Narratives in Figurative Art.
In February, Pantone 2025: Mocha Mousse showcased pieces that embody comfort and warmth. March celebrates craft artists from Western North Carolina, created in partnership with ArtsvilleUSA, to support those affected by Hurricane Helene.
April highlights under-recognized emerging artists, while May features exhibitions on real and imagined creatures. Finally, the June exhibition focuses on Midwestern iconography, spotlighting artists from between New York and Chicago.
Curated by Morgan Laurens and former New York gallerist Kirsten Bengtson-Lydoukis, First Friday Exhibitions supports an array of talented artists who submitted work to our biennial grant.
Quotes From This Episode
“These exhibitions are a way for us to celebrate and honor the artists who have applied for our grant, the NOT REAL ART artist grant.” — Morgan Laurens [06:12]
“For those hundreds and thousands of artists that may not actually receive [our] grant, we want them to get something out of their efforts. And that something involves them being a part of our larger community in our database and available to us for special features and editorial stories, like the First Friday's program. — Scott “Sourdough” Power [07:28]
“For these exhibitions, we also choose a select number of artists to interview. We've got some really great ones coming up in February.” — Morgan Laurens [12:53]
“Coverage of the arts tends to coalesce on either side of the States, the coasts. And the middle, which is huge, tends to get forgotten about a little bit, especially in the more rural areas. And so this is a way to experience some of that stuff that might get overlooked just because they're not in LA or New York.” — Morgan Laurens [26:07]
Links From This Episode
About Morgan Laurens
Morgan Laurens is an arts and culture writer from the Midwest who enjoys saying “excuse me” when no actual pardon is needed. She specializes in grant writing and narrative-based storytelling for mission-driven artists and arts organizations. With a background in printmaking, pop culture, and classic literature, Morgan believes a girl’s best friend is the pile of books on her bedside table.