2021 Judge: Deanne Gertner had the following comments to say about the program and her selection for this year’s winner, “The 2022 Judge’s Choice Award goes to Jacob Novinger for the sculpture, Ego. In the wake of a global pandemic and social upheaval, Ego takes on new meaning. The Cubist-like form speaks to fragmentation and contortion. Rather than solid welds between planes, Jacob allows space and light with more organic connection points. As a result, the connection points seem more like fissures. The form, despite its durable material, feels unsteady, as if connected by threads. The hollowness of the figure adds to a feeling of instability; despite its exterior, it remains hollow. The ego, that fraught human vessel, contains nothing in the end but air. Ego beautifully marries form and content to confront the inherent in-flux state of the human psyche and, by extension, society at large.”
Deanne also wanted to recognize the following sculptures as honorable mentions:
- “Raven’s Rock” by Mike Dwyer for its impeccable craftsmanship
- “Soar” by Scott Froschauer for its creative concept