Ready, Set, Relay! is an exhibition honoring prominent pieces in the Progressive Art Collection as these artworks enter a transitional phase with the closing of Campus One. When the Progressive Art Collection was unveiled in conjunction with Progressive’s new Corporate Headquarters in 1974, it was established in the name of advancing the Progressive company culture of "Risk, Learn, Grow.” Over the course of its lifetime, the collection has expanded from 30 contemporary artworks to over 10,000, including several site-specific works commissioned by Progressive’s founders. Today, almost 50 years after the collection was established, it continues to inspire discourse among Progressive employees. 

Over the course of a semester, Junior Visual Art students from the Cleveland Institute of Art have been given the opportunity to research the careers of 17 established artists with work housed at Campus One and to create art in response. The exhibition title, Ready, Set, Relay!, refers to our relationship with this established generation of artists. We are picking up their "baton" and continuing the act of receiving, interpreting, and then passing on ideas through our art practices.

We have considered many questions while researching and reflecting on these works. Questions like, what was going on in the world when this work was originally made and how have the ideas evolved? How can we acknowledge the legacies of these artworks while making new work that reflects our perspectives? What can we learn about our own studio practices via our research and celebration of their creations?

Through this project, some of us were introduced to artists and artwork we had never encountered before, while others of us were familiar with some of the artists in the collection. Regardless, we were all excited by the challenging possibilities of making work in conversation with this group of notable artists. We wrestled with how to respond to the content and materials of the work while being mindful of our audience and learning how to collaborate with our peers to make this culminating exhibition happen. 

From creating our own artworks to photo-documenting, installing, and writing about the work in the exhibition, we have grown as professional artists. We were encouraged to take risks, learn, and expand our ideas by the Progressive Art Department staff and our professors. Many of us also had the opportunity to speak directly with these established artists. The resulting conversations were impactful. We experimented with materials like plaster and digital programming and brought new understanding to familiar mediums like oil paint and screenprinting. This exhibition not only gave us a chance to explore but to also make decisions, to be guided by past generations, and to find ways to branch off onto our own unique paths. 

We hope that whoever comes to see this exhibition, no matter their background, can feel the joy and hard work we put into these artworks, and be excited by the rich history of Progressive’s Art Collection as translated through our emerging perspectives. The respect and excitement we have for sharing space with these established artists is just one small part of this huge experience. As young artists, we are thankful to Progressive for the opportunity to take a significant professional step into understanding our practices as we emerge in the art world.

Ready, Set, Relay! will be on view from April 19 through September 6 at Progressive’s Campus One at 6300 Wilson Mills Road in Mayfield Village, Ohio. An opening reception will be held from 6:00 to 9:00 pm on Friday, April 19.