The Frist Art Museum’s tenth biennial Young Tennessee Artists exhibition showcases over thirty two-dimensional works of art by students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) studio art programs during the 2023–24 academic year. Artworks for the exhibition were selected by a jury of artists, educators, and museum professionals. Jurors include Michael Ewing, Frist Art Museum associate curator; Erin Anfinson, artist and associate professor at Middle Tennessee State University; Karlota I. Contreras-Koterbay, director of Slocumb Galleries at East Tennessee State University; and Rose Marr, artist in Cordova, Tennessee.

Upper-level studio art courses make it possible for highly motivated students to build and refine their portfolios through ongoing investigation, practice, and reflection. The dedicated teachers in AP and IB programs challenge their students’ artistic perceptions and encourage them to develop aesthetic methods both conceptually and in execution. At the end of the school year, each student’s portfolio is reviewed by AP or IB examiners. Students may subsequently receive college course credit or other recognition of their accomplishments.

Organized by the Frist Art Museum

Image: Safiya Margarette Austria. Suppression, 2023. Charcoal on paper; 14 x 22 in. Courtesy of the artist. © Safiya Margarette Austria