The International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) is bringing its flagship biennial convention and free public exhibition, “PastelWorld,” to the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town from June 17–20. The exhibition features 175 rigorously juried pastel works by members of pastel societies worldwide, divided into open and master circle divisions. IAPS President Richard McKinley and exhibition chair Caprise Cooper oversee the event, which includes a judging by Sylvie Poirson and a $2,000 best-of-show prize called the Prix de Pastel.
This event matters because Albuquerque has become a global hub for pastel art, hosting the IAPS convention more than any other city since 1999. The exhibition highlights a renaissance in pastel as a medium, with a growing contemporary and abstract bent attracting younger artists. It also underscores the role of pastel societies and publications like Pastel Journal in reviving interest in a medium that has historically fluctuated in popularity, from its rococo heyday to its revival by Edgar Degas.