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At the annual benefit, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art honors a group of special individuals whose accomplishments reflect the ideals of creativity, innovation and cultural community that are at the heart of the Museums mission. This annual award acknowledges the cultural entrepreneurs and out-of-the-box thinkers in our midst—those who truly have built the foundations of a creative culture here and on whose shoulders we all stand. Such spirited, entrepreneurial individuals have—through their professional or civic activities—raised the profile of contemporary art, architecture and design in the Valley. We call these individuals Contemporary Catalysts. |
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| Congratulations to the 2008 SMoCA Contemporary Catalyst Awardees: |
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John Armstrong & Joan Prior
John Armstrong and Joan Prior have been arts advocates and champions of contemporary art in the Valley for over two decades. Their hard work—individually and as a couple—includes forging a path of adventurous exhibitions in the early days of the Scottsdale Cultural Council, long before SMoCA was even an idea; advising and curating private and corporate collections; enabling artists’ residencies; establishing a master printmaking studio and publishing exquisite artists’ prints; helping local museums; equally supporting emerging local artists and internationally recognized artists; and providing sophisticated, museum-caliber framing and consulting services to the public. And throughout, John has sustained his practice as an accomplished abstract painter. They often work behind-the-scenes in quiet ways to bring artists and audiences together—and to make art accessible and affordable for more people.
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& Kimber Lanning
Kimber Lanning is a force of nature. She is a practicing rock musician, a cultural impresario, a neighborhood activist and a respected voice among the cultural and political elite. Lanning was among the first to redevelop moribund properties in downtown Phoenix, giving rise to today’s thriving arts scene. She believes that the arts are a collective responsibility and a point of shared pride—and she persuades others to act accordingly. A proven risk-taker, Lanning founded both Modified Arts and Stinkweeds, to promote visual and performing artists and the independent music scene. She helped sow the seeds for First Fridays on Roosevelt Street and has tackled larger cultural and economic challenges, with no intention of personal gain. One of the founders of Local First Arizona, she is an organizer who fosters community networking, cultural diversity, economic self-reliance and responsible growth. |
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SMoCA Celebrates all the 2008 Contemporary Catalyst Nominees: |
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Will Bruder
Will Bruder came to Arizona in the late 1960s, drawn by Paolo Soleri’s radical ideal of sustainability, experimentation and community. Bruder has become a similarly passionate proponent of contemporary desert architecture and a key figure in the continuation of the legacy of Soleri and Frank Lloyd Wright. As his work has gained national acclaim, he has also advanced the standing of today’s “Arizona School” of architects and has become a supportive spokesperson for the arts and cultural community. In some 700 built works, Bruder has crafted a signature approach to materials, to site and to desert light. Architecture fans from around the world make the pilgrimage to this region to see his Phoenix Central Library, Deer Valley Rock Art Center and our own Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. |
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Greg Esser and Cindy Dach
Cindy Dach and Greg Esser work across municipal boundaries and build bridges between artists and the public. They have helped jump-start a vibrant
urban art economy and have contributed vastly to the evolution of the Valley’s burgeoning cultural scene. Cindy is general manager of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe and a founder of Local First Arizona, a forum for locally owned businesses. Greg Esser is an award-winning artist, writer and neighborhood activist, who directed the public-art program for the City of Phoenix from 1996 to 2004. Together, they have developed artists’ studios and exhibition spaces in downtown Phoenix, including eye lounge contemporary art space, 515 Arts, Sixth Street Studios, Kitchenette and MADE Art Boutique on Roosevelt Row, which set the stage for today’s emerging, vibrant arts district and residential development. |
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Nan Ellin
Nan Ellin is a widely recognized scholar who applies her study of urban planning and public policy far beyond the walls of academia. She is an involved citizen who works effectively for the betterment of the metro area through her stalwart service on public boards and committees, as well as her essays for the Arizona Republic and other publications. Ellin strives to help improve the built environment and to shape a community that is vital, diverse and environmentally conscious. She has a special interest in seeding change by bringing people together to solve problems. With the Maricopa Partnership for Arts and Culture, Ellin initiated the book Phoenix: 21st Century City (2006). She is a champion for the incorporation of arts and culture into downtown revitalization
and works with her students on the frontlines of urban issues. |
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Suzanne & Michael P. Johnson
Michael P. and Suzanne Johnson remind us that mediocrity is something to avoid at all costs. As an architect, Michael builds structures that are uncompromisingly daring yet sensible, rational yet poetic, with an honesty that upholds the backbone of desert modernism. He is well known for his hardnose contrarianism and admirably tough standards. As a filmmaker and non-profit activist, Suzanne has brought broader attention to Arizona’s underrecognized masters, such as architect Al Beadle and photographer Pedro Guerrero. She has organized architectural tours locally and abroad, as well as a stellar design competition for Habitat for Humanity. Together, Michael and Suzanne are missionaries for the cause of art, architecture and design: they live the role of public educators and ambassadors
for ideas that go against the grain. |
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Randy Kemp
Randy Kemp (Choctaw/Euchee-Creek) is a multi-disciplinary artist who works in printmaking, painting, film, music, video, poetry and performance. He is committed to progressive Native American art, founded Redhand Studio and is a member of Actor’s Workout and Atlatl, Inc. Kemp started Sonata del Sol at Mayo Clinic Hospital, to provide a music program for palliative care patients, and he most recently completed Radio Healer, a performance work with flute and computer-generated audio. He is committed to advancing contemporary forms of expression while sustaining a deep respect for tribal traditions. Kemp is an accomplished entrepreneur and producer of projects such as those of Los Humanos, a multi-ethnic performance troupe inspired duly by aboriginal
practices and emerging technologies. Kemp has also worked for many years as an environmental graphic designer at Arizona State University, Tempe. |
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John Meunier
John Meunier came to Arizona in 1987 as the dean of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Arizona State University, Tempe, and quickly recognized the potential of a new city situated in the midst of the exquisite yet fragile Sonoran Desert. He made it his mission to advocate for environmentally responsible design and to connect with other “desert cities” internationally. He helped establish the Central City Architectural Review Panel in Phoenix and the Urban Design Center in Scottsdale. As an educator and an engaged citizen, Meunier has a talent for encouraging knowledge, motivation and right action through his persuasive sense of humor and unquestionable integrity. John Meunier has made architects here better; he has created artistic opportunity; and, with his charming British accent, he has moved the behemoths of local government to action. |
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