Moline sculptor David Zahn was named the first winner of the Dubuque Museum of Art (DuMA) Collection Prize, as part of the new DuMA Biennial exhibit.

The 10th edition of the DuMA Biennial opened June 17, and is on display through Oct. 8, 2023. Sixty-five artists (including seven from the Quad Cities) from across Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin explore how the enormous changes in our culture, politics, environment, and social structures emerge in the art created today, according to a museum release.

The exhibition features contemporary painting, sculpture, furniture, photography, fiber arts and more.

Nearly 200 established and emerging artists submitted over 500 works to a competitive open call. This year’s juror, Pamela Caserta Hugdahl, executive director of the Rochester Art Center, selected the work and relied upon her 23 years of museum experience— including more than 13 at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis—to make her selection.

“The inspiring submissions demonstrated an incredible range of media,” Hugdahl said in the DuMA release. “Yet common themes emerged including the interconnectedness of life, our changing environment, the meaning of essential work, exploration of form, and what it means to ‘grow up’ now.”

“We are proud of this tradition,” said Stacy Gage Peterson, DuMA’s curatorial director. “Every two years, we pause to take the pulse of the art of the moment. I am grateful that Pamela selected artists we have known for a long time as well as artists whose work has never before been seen in Dubuque.

“Each artist should be commended for the strength of their work and I’m excited for guests to experience the exhibition’s power,” Peterson said.

At every DuMA Biennial, the juror awards cash prizes for first, second and third place winners.

New this year, the museum inaugurated the Collection Prize to honor the legacy of the 10th DuMA Biennial and its impact on our creative commumannity. At a private event on June 16, local collectors chose one work of art for the Collection Prize.

The museum curatorial director, Stacy Gage Peterson, chose 10 works she was interested in for the permanent collection and on Friday, June 16 a group of area collectors got a preview of the exhibition and met the 10 finalists. They chose Zahn’s work by ballot, said DuMA executive director Gary Stoppelman.

His winning piece, “Symmetry” (2021), was made from cast aluminum.

Zahn said Monday this was the first of his sculptures he’s submitted to the Dubuque Biennial.

“Although I have been doing my art for many years and have gotten many kinds of awards over the years, it is a great honor to be chosen for this,” the Moline artist said. “The purchase of my work for the museum is a good thing for my art resume, and I am glad that those who chose it found the piece interesting.

“The sculpture is made of lost wax cast aluminum. It is a statement about design, and aesthetics,” Zahn said. “he work looks futuristic and at the same time is presented as if it were a relic form another time and place. I think these qualities make for an interesting and compelling work of art.”

Originally from the Chicago area, he’s been creating art work for many years. He creates imaginative sculptures, and is known for his bronze and ceramic pieces, according to his online bio.

Zahn’s figure-based art works “are interesting to look at containing some sort of mystery in them,” his website says. “Movement is another important aspect of David’s art. He likes to create intriguing juxtapositions of static and flowing forms in his imagery.”

The DuMA Biennial Juror’s Awards went to:

• 1st Place: Peter Xiao from Bettendorf, Iowa ($1,200)
• 2nd place: Lauren Venable from Pleasant Prairie, Wis. ($600)
• 3rd Place: Steve Sinner from Bettendorf ($300)

Other Q-C artists chosen for the exhibit were Dawn Wohlford of Bettendorf, Steve Banks and Kristin Quinn of Davenport, and Amber Williams of Rock Island.

Named a national affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution in 2016, DuMA’s mission is to create engaging art experiences that excite, inspire, and connect our community. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit the museum website HERE.