EAF09: 2009 Emerging Artist Fellowship Exhibition features new works by the Park's current resident artists. This year, Socrates awarded fellowships to: David Brooks, Pilar Conde, Zack Davis, Christian de Vietri, Aaron King, Zak Kitnick, Lynn Koble, Tamara Kostianovsky, Mads Lynnerup, Wyatt Nash, Navin June Norling, Andréa Stanislav, Brina Thurston, Kon Trubkovich, Lan Tuazon, and Erik & Ninh Vysocan.
Fellowship artists are awarded a grant and a residency in the Park's outdoor studio and are also provided with technical support and access to tools, materials and equipment to facilitate the production of new sculptures and installations for exhibition in the Park. The artists develop their projects throughout the summer in the open studio and on site in the landscape, offering visitors the opportunity to experience both the creation and presentation of their works. Representing a broad range of materials, working methods and subject matter, the diverse sculptural works in this exhibition are presented against the Park's spectacular waterfront view of the Manhattan skyline.
Emerging Artist Fellows are selected annually through an open application process and reviewed by a committee composed of the Park's Executive Director; past EAF recipients; established artists who have shown a commitment to mentoring and advocating for younger artists; as well a writers, gallerists, and curators who have special knowledge of contemporary art. The 2009 Advisory Committee members were: Kara Walker, artist; Neville Wakefield, curator; Martha Schwendener, writer; Vandana Jain, EAF07 fellowship artist; and Amy Smith-Stewart, gallerist.