The Morris Museum in Morristown, New Jersey, presents "Common Ground: NJ Artists Think Monumental," the 42nd New Jersey Arts Annual. For the first time in the series' history, the exhibition moves outdoors, activating the museum's 8-acre campus with large-scale sculptures. Nine artists were selected from 530 submissions by a jury led by Johannah Hutchinson, Executive Director of the International Sculpture Center. The exhibition runs from May 28 to August 23, 2026, and includes works by Clifford Blanchard, Sunil Garg, Wendy Gordon, Robert Koch, Robert Lobe, Judith Peck, Jill Scipione, Lee Tal, and Josh Urso.
This exhibition matters because it reimagines the traditional Arts Annual format by embracing public space and monumental scale, fostering a deeper connection between art, landscape, and community. It also underscores the Morris Museum's long-standing partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, highlighting the state's vibrant visual arts ecosystem and supporting local artists. The juried selection process and outdoor setting emphasize how sculpture can engage with terrain, light, and public interaction, setting a precedent for future iterations of the annual.