On Display: A Twenty-First Century Salon des Refusés

Carefully

Walking out of the chaos and into some type of transformation.

Object contributed by Frahn Koerner

Originally created by Frahn Koerner

Assistance collecting this object by On Display at Tulane

About the Work

This painting was entered into a juried Museum show. I’m not sure why it was rejected, except that the curator must have had something else in mind. Living during these times can be quite a challenge. Sometimes we might look for ways out or to somehow transform our surroundings. Maybe walking out of the chaos and into some type of transformation could bring some solace. Here, we see a figure stepping into what appears to be another world that could offer peace… Who knows? Maybe it’s worth a try, but carefully.

About the Artist

I have been making art for basically my whole life. My work has elicited all kinds of reactions. One of the most difficult things I’ve had to face is rejection.\

In graduate school, we were taught that once we released our artwork “into the wild,” so to speak, we had no control over how the viewer saw it. If I entered a juried show or a gallery and was rejected—while difficult—it didn’t mean that my work wasn’t good. The rejection wasn’t personal; it simply meant that the curator was looking for something other than what I had to offer at that time.\

But being refused still stings. It’s sort of like life, in that you can’t please everyone all the time. I believe the point is to dig deep within and always be—and do—the best that you can.

Carefully

More about this item

Dublin Core

Categories
Acrylic, Mixed media, Canvas, Previously rejected
Title
Carefully
Artist
Frahn Koerner
Artist
Frahn Koerner
Date
2023
Short Description
Walking out of the chaos and into some type of transformation.
Tags
On Display Curatorial Team
On Display at Tulane

On Display: A 21st-Century Salon des Refusés, 2025. DigitalArc Jekyll Theme by Kalani Craig is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Framework: Foundation 6.