> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://hyperallergic.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # An Art Exhibition That Makes Rejection Look Good - URL: https://hyperallergic.com/brooklyn-waterfront-artists-coalition-exhibition-that-makes-rejection-look-good/ - Published: 2024-08-29T21:36:48.000Z - Updated: 2025-11-24T15:08:23.000Z - Description: The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition is preparing to proudly display works that didn’t make it into a popular open-call show at the Brooklyn Museum. - Author: Valentina Di Liscia - Tags: Art, Brooklyn, Featured, New York, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-large, #Import 2025-11-24 09:36 (2023, 2024, part 2) The history of the Salon, the juried exhibitions that defined European art trends from the 17th through the 19th centuries, can be told from the perspective of the artists who were included — or, if you want a juicier story, the artists who were left out. None other than Édouard Manet had his painting "Luncheon on the Grass" (1863), now a textbook example of early Impressionism, rejected by the official state-sponsored show that year and displayed instead in the novel Salon des Refusés alongside pieces byhundredsofother "rejects," including Gustave Courbet, Paul Cézanne, and James Whistler. More than a century and a half later, history repeats itself as the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) in Red Hook prepares to proudly showcase many of the works that didn't make the cut for a popular [open call at the Brooklyn Museum](https://hyperallergic.com/these-are-the-200-artists-in-the-brooklyn-museum-open-call-show/) that drew over 4,000 entries. Embodying the ethos of alternative exhibitions like the late-19th century Salon des Indépendants, whose slogan "without jury nor reward" touted an inclusive, come-one-come-all approach, admission into the [*Salon des Refusés 2024*](https://www.bwac.org/exhibition-content/salon-des-refuss2024?ref=hyperallergic.com) involves simply sending in one's rejection letter. Other than that, the only requirements are a maximum of one artwork per person, no larger than four by six feet, and a fee of $20 "to help keep the lights on, because our electricity bill is astronomical," said BWAC President Alicia Degener, who is co-curating the show with member Janet Morgan. "We didn’t want people to get rejected twice," Degener told *Hyperallergic*. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2024/08/meredith-mcneal-witch-store.jpg) Meridith NcNeal, "Inside Outside Witch Store (Bushwick, Brooklyn)" (2023), watercolor on paper, 43 x 59 inches (\~109.2 x 149.9 cm) (image courtesy BWAC) She said entries are still trickling in long past the August 7 deadline and that the exhibition, on view from September 21 through October 13, will include works by over 200 artists — nearly as many as will be featured in the Brooklyn Museum's show opening a few weeks later. Among them are Meridith NcNeal's meticulously rendered watercolor of a witchy shop in Bushwick, a 90-minute film by Risha Gorig, Juan Pinto's collage portrait of critic Jerry Saltz made out of metrocards, and a painting by Nancy Rodrigo titled "Nipple Eyes," which is exactly what it sounds like. "It's going to be a very eclectic show and tricky to curate with no real theme, but we love a challenge," said Degener, who is accustomed to working on the fly and collaborating closely with local groups such as Park Slope Windsor Terrace Artists and Arts Gowanus. In addition to mounting 15 shows a year, the artist-run organization also hosts a Maker’s Market and an end-of-summer potluck. "We’re all in this together and we’re not competing against each other," Degener continued. "We’re just super excited to give this space to artists so that they can be seen." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2024/08/ceramic.jpg) Claire Corey, “Zombie Urchins” (2023), stoneware, 12 x 12 x 8 inches (\~30.5 x 30.5 x 20.3 cm) (image courtesy BWAC) Participating artist and Bedstuy resident Claire Corey reiterated the sense that BWAC’s exhibition would expand on the Brooklyn Museum’s show. Together, she said, the two presentations “will truly enforce how many wonderful artists live and work in Brooklyn.” She will be showing “Zombie Urchins” (2023), a stoneware piece inspired by the work of French Huguenot potter Bernard Palissy that alludes to the impact of climate change on biodiversity. A poster for the exhibition designed by BWAC member Jonathan Fischer features a fuchsia thumbs-down symbol against a loud yellow background. The image is anything but understated, a gesture of embracing rather than fearing rejection. And why should it be otherwise? After all, getting snubbed by the art world is a rite of passage. In 1917, for example, the Society of Independent Artists in New York refused to show a certain "readymade" sculpture by Marcel Duchamp ... perhaps [you know it](https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/92488?ref=hyperallergic.com). A complete alphabetized list of artists included in *Salon des Refusés 2024* appears below. --- Hilda Abla Malin Abrahamsson Natale Adgnot Zanib Ahmad Anna Alfredson Audrey Anastasi Walter Andersons Claudine Anrather Judi Aronson Shayma Aziz Adriana Baker Joe Banish Stephen Barber Judith Barnes Joseph Barral Jeff Bartell David Barthold Etan Ben-Ami Jocelyn Benford Stacy Bergener Linda Berkowitz Taylor Bielecki Melanie Brock Noel Caban Braden Caldwell Lloyd Campbell Pamela Casper Carolina Castillo Sandra Cavanagh Cynthia Clark Julia Cocuzza Naomi Cohen-Thompson Lynn Cole Claire Corey Caroline Curtin Stefanie Demas Phil Desantis Michael DeSiano Jan Dickey Carole d'Inverno Frank Ditto Julie Ditto Jim Donahue Chuck Dorr Keith Duquette Kathleen DuSauzay Melissa Eder Steve Ettlinger Hayley Ferber Jen Ferguson Vanessa Fischer Naomi Frank Stephanie Franks Faith Gabel Marie Gagnon Liz Galvin Karen Gibbons Sandra Giunta Risa Glickman Rachel Goldsmith Amaia Gomez Marzabal Risha Gorig Susan Grace Ed Grant Susan Greenstein Barbara Groh Wahlstrom Susan Handwerker Garfield Harry Elizabeth Hickey Daina Higgins Katherine Hill Callie Hirsch Eileen Hoffman Judith Eloise Hooper Indiana Hoover Amy Hutner Danielle I Warren Jill Inbar Julian Jackson Susan Jacobs Katrina Jeffries Kisha Johnson Marilyn Kaggen Barbara Kaminsky Shushanik Karapetyan Katherine Keltner Irena Kenny Anki King Eileen Kinigstein Sara Klar Ariel Kleinberg Soumiya Krishnaswamy Eugene La Rochelle Sue-Ann LaCasse Sinae Lee Jess Levey Kathy Levine Iris Lipner Robert Lurz Rene Lynch Darcy Lynn Miranda Maher Karen Mainenti Laura Marotta Erin Mathewson Tiziana Mazziotto Caroline McAuliffe Daniel McDonald Janice McDonnell Tracy McFarlane Meridith McNeal Elizabeth Meggs Nina Meledandri Christine Mendoza Robyn Mierzwa Cindy Millin Zoe Moldenhauer Janet Morgan Amy Morken Sharilyn Neidhardt Jessica Nissen Akane Ogura David Ort Jan Orzeck Lauren Packard Bill Page Nicholas Papadakis Carolanna Parlato John Paul Marina Pavlutskaya Janet Pedersen Julie Peppito Jay Perez Richard Perkins Quimetta Perle Scott Pfaffman Juan Pinto Susanna Plotnick Stephanie Powell Donna Powers Bonnie Ralston Sonia Redfern Mari Renwick Sandye Renz Monica Rich Sally Rifkin Joyce Riley Jean Rim Marie Roberts Nancy Rodrigo Robin Roi Margaret Rooney Susan Rostow Joshua Rubin Owen Sagerman Debra Salomon Janie Samuels Larry Scaturro Barbara Schaefer Miriam Schaer Jessica Schulman Nicole Schulman Andrew Schwartz Adam Segal-Isaacson Sasha Silverstein Sonita Singwi Carri Skoczek Howard Skrill Sam Smouha Michael Sorgatz A.J. Springer Duane Stapp Eliza Stamps Bonnie Steinsnyder Giustina Surbone Liz Sweibel Syma Sandra Taggart Traci Talasco Linda Tharp Shira Toren Marsha Trattner Pamela Turczyn Deborah Ugoretz Therese Urban MG Vander Elst Edin Velez Brad Vogel Madeline Weibel Marlene Weisman Jessica Weiss John & Wendy Dale Williams Ella Yang Kristin Ying Ward Yoshimoto Fen Youmans Cindy Zaglin Melissa Zexter Rusty Zimmerman Alice Zinnes Kasia Zurek-Doule