The spookiest month of the year signals the return of the Huntington Arts Council’s annual student exhibit, Nightmare on Main Street, a Halloween-inspired juried art exhibit for Nassau and Suffolk County students in grades 6 to 12. This year’s show runs from Oct. 21 to Nov. 15.
“Our Nightmare on Main Street student exhibit is now in its 11th year! This exhibit continues to be one of our most popular, both for the students and the overall community,” said HAC’s Executive Director Kieran Johnson. “The submissions spanned across Long Island with both public and private school students from 21 districts participating in the call. Congratulations to all of the students who submitted to this show.”
Guest juror Lauren LaBella, co-owner of The Gallery @ in Huntington, invited participants to broaden their artistic interpretation of the Halloween inspired exhibition by referencing the Plague Doctor during the Bubonic Plague “which became a momento mori, a symbol for one’s last earthly moments, as this was usually the last thing a person would see before meeting their death. The long beak of the mask was filled with herbs and spices that were believed to filter out the ‘bad spirit,’ protecting the wearer from those he was visiting; the long, waxy coat and hat protecting their skin and clothes underneath. A long staff was used to make contact with the bodies without having to touch them directly. … Similarly, Halloween is a once-a-year opportunity to disguise yourself or be unknown, and to celebrate the darker parts of life. In the medium of your choice, show us how you interpret these concepts.”
“Just under 200 pieces from 145 artists were submitted this year to Nightmare on Main Street,” said Sarah J. McCann, HAC’s Gallery & Operations Director.
“One of the highest submissions in the history of the show, the work does not disappoint. Our juror has chosen 41 pieces to be featured in the Main Street Gallery and on our website. In recognition of the dedication and enthusiasm the students have shown for this call to artists, we have decided to expand the online gallery to include a special section so that all of the artists’ work that was submitted can be shared with the community,” she said.
Exhibiting artists include Maya Almaliah, Meggie Baxter, Lilah Black, Colby Burns, Joseline Canales-lazo, Scout Chen, Elaine Ching, Jazmin Corrujedo, Victoria Czoch, Sophia Dolinsky, Madeline Dombrow, Gilana Etame, Sally Feliciano, DJ Fusco, Michael Gallagher, Mary Getzoni, Emma Gutierrez, Kelly Halversen, Alexandra Hugel, Molly Lebolt, Sophia Lin, Isabella Mascetti, Liza McPherson, Samantha Medley, Finn Monte, Natalie Parrott, Gianna Purpura, Sivan Pyle, Elliot Rosenblatt, Zayed Sattaur, Grace Schoonmaker, Nicole Schrock, Jasmine Sedra, Jack Semelsberger, Alexa Shafy, Juliana Silva, Peyton Silvestri, Charlotte Tsekerides, Bennett Vitagliano, Warren Wei and Kerry Yeung.
“We pride ourselves in working hard to be inclusive with our call to artists and all of our programs. Our gallery is open to all and we certainly encourage you to stop in to see the exhibit and visit our website regularly to learn more about the work that we are doing for the community,” added Johnson.
The Huntington Arts Council’s Main Street Galley, 213 Main Street, Huntington is open Tuesdays to Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-271-8423 or visit www.huntingtonarts.org.
