The New York Academy of Art opens its second annual SUMMER EXHIBITION on Tuesday, June 17, 2008, with a reception from 6-8pm. The exhibition, juried by Will Cotton, Matthew Flowers, Nicola Hicks and David Salle, showcases Academy-affiliated artists and alumni. Its 80 newly-created works, all of which are available for purchase, were selected from more than 600 submissions. The exhibition celebrates a range of trends in contemporary art, particularly the re-emergent emphasis on figuration and drawing.

Modeled on the annual Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, which dates back to 1796, the New York Academy of Art’s exhibition similarly aims to display the talents of its constituency and launch its recently-minted artists. Already, a number of artists who exhibited in SUMMER EXHIBITION 2007, juried by Eric Fischl, Vincent Desiderio and Jenny Saville, have been recruited by galleries in New York, Los Angeles and abroad, and featured in art fairs around the globe, including Art Basel, Art Basel Miami and Scope.

This year’s jury selected Connecticut-based artist Michael Peery as the winner of the SUMMER EXHIBITION 2008 PRIZE for his painting Virginia Slims, a 46” x 38” oil on canvas, which was completed earlier this year. Peery, who received an MFA from the Academy in 2000, will be awarded a two-week residency at the Chateau de Balleroy in Normandy, France, a program supported by Academy Trustee Christopher Forbes and his family and the Prince of Wales Foundation. Additional prizes will be announced later this year.