Every year, Woodmere selects a juror to put out a call for contemporary artists in Philadelphia to submit their work for an exhibition centered around a general theme. This year, photographer Ron Tarver was selected as juror and he chose the theme of “Family.” The result is The Woodmere Annual: 83rd Juried Exhibition, which is on display at Woodmere now through Sept. 6.

William Valerio, director and chief executive officer of Woodmere, said this tradition “contributes to making Philadelphia a good place for artists to live.”

“The Annual is an annual undertaking for [Woodmere] that engages us with the grassroots community of primarily emerging artists in the city of Philadelphia,” Valerio said. “We learn a lot from the Annual every year. … It’s an opportunity for living artists that can be very meaningful.”

Selecting the juror

Valerio said Woodmere selects a juror who is an established figure in the Philadelphia art scene and has connections with the community of emerging artists. Tarver more than met these qualifications.

An accomplished photographer, Tarver, of Elkins Park, has created photo essays on subjects such as double-Dutch jump rope, the 1980s crack epidemic, Black architecture, veterans, and cowboys. Currently, he is working with archives of his father’s photography from the 1940s and ’50s to address today’s racial climate.

As a staff photojournalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Tarver won a Pulitzer Prize in 2012 for documenting school violence. He has also won awards from World Press Photo, Society of Professional Journalists, and National Press Photographers Association. Currently, Tarver is an associate professor and chair of art at Swarthmore College.

Tarver said it was “certainly a surprise” to be selected as juror for the Annual.“It’s a daunting task, but I was very honored and grateful that [Valerio] thought of me.”

According to Valerio, the artist chosen as juror tends to be a “magnet” that draws in people who relate to the juror’s work. Thus, the selection of the juror has a big impact on what art gets submitted and ultimately selected.

Family

Tarver said the theme of family “popped into [his] head” because he has been working with his father’s images. Within that thematic concept, he noticed several recurring smaller themes as well: for example, the structure of a house, the idea of a happy family, and a family in conflict. Organizing the works into these sections made it easier for Tarver to tell the stories and complexities of family.

In addition to submitted works from Philadelphia artists, the exhibition also highlights two pieces from Woodmere’s collection. Tarver chose Edith Neff’s “Old Man (Portrait of the Artist’s Father in the Backyard at 758 North 26th Street)” and Ashley Flynn’s “Dad in his Casket.” Both of these portraits depict the artists’ deceased parents.

“They’re both very haunting works of art, and they make for an interesting dialogue with some of the works of art in the exhibition that were selected by [Tarver] as a juror,” Valerio said. “That’s an aspect of the show that we think is important because it kind of integrates the Annual into the ideas that are embedded in the collection.”

Tarver also chose several of his own works to display that went along with the family theme.

Meaningful experiences

Tarver said participating in the Annual reaffirmed his belief that Philadelphia is a “great place to see art.”

“There’s no doubt that Philly’s art scene is thriving and even getting better and better and better,” Tarver said. “We’re so lucky to have the caliber of artists that we have in the city. I would pit [Philadelphia] against any other city in the nation in terms of dedication, in terms of how tight the community is here with artists, and just the level of work.”

For Valerio, this exhibition accomplishes Woodmere’s mission of creating meaningful experiences with the art and artists of Philadelphia. He said many artists come up to him and express gratitude for the confidence and validation that being selected for the Annual gives them.

As for Tarver, being selected as juror was also a positive experience that will go on to inform his own career.

“Anytime you do something like this, it helps,” Tarver said. “It helps my perspective on making art. It gives me another window into how I can think about art.”

The Woodmere Annual: 83rd Juried Exhibition is on display at Woodmere (9201 Germantown Ave.) now through Sept. 6. Learn more at woodmeremuseum.org.

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.