Mississippi Museum of Art Reveals 2025 Mississippi Invitational Artists

The Mississippi Museum of Art has revealed the 12 artists participating in the 2025 Mississippi Invitational exhibition, the 14th biennial survey featuring recent works created by contemporary visual artists living and working in the state. On view June 28 through September 7, 2025, the exhibition will feature works in a variety of media, including new commissions, by the following artists:

Rylee Brabham, Hattiesburg

Allen Chen, Hattiesburg

*Sue Carrie Drummond, Jackson

Connor Frew, Jackson

Ashley Gates, Jackson

Jason Kimes, Laurel

Emma Lorenz, Jackson

*Christina McField, Jackson

*Alexis McGrigg, Jackson

*Jerrod Partridge, Ocean Springs

*Betty Press, Hattiesburg

Kaleena Stasiak, Oxford

Organized by guest curator and award-winning writer and historian, TK Smith, the theme of this year's Invitational-"Call Home"- reflects on the complex feelings associated with home, ranging from feelings of nostalgia to dread. Smith and MMA Associate Curator of Exhibitions Kaegan Sparks reviewed over 100 applications to the open call. The final 12-five of whom have participated in previous editions-were selected following 37 studio visits across Mississippi. Each will present artworks created across the span of their individual practices to evoke the passage of time and reveal aspects of their investigations of ideas, experiments with materiality, and manifestations of biography.

"The unifying theme echoes the voices and experiences of the Mississippi artists participating in the Invitational," stated Smith. "'Call Home' communicates the subtle desire, yearning, and urgency for people to connect, be it across time, space, or differences. The phrase exists in the gray area of possibility: 'call me, there is something I have to say,' or perhaps, 'call me back, I need to hear your voice.' Regardless of the many ways we might define home-a place, a person, an afterlife-the call incites connection back to a place where we may find solace in being known."

Invitational artists are eligible to apply for The Jane Crater Hiatt Artist Fellowship-a grant of up to $20,000 awarded to one artist. The recipient will be announced during opening weekend.

Betsy Bradley, Laurie Hearin McRee Director, at MMA said, "We are honored to have TK Smith curate this year's Invitational. His expertise as a cultural historian, enthusiasm for working with artists, and breadth of knowledge made him an ideal partner. The Invitational is always highly anticipated, and we are confident that this edition will be a must-see, must-experience event for our community and beyond."

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