Shaker High School junior Margaret Munane’s artwork will be shown in the United States Capitol as the winner of the 2015 Congressional Art Competition.
Congressman Paul Tonko announced at a reception in early May that Munane won the Congressional Art Competition in the 20th district. Her photorealistic painting, “Family Ties,” will hang in the tunnel leading to U.S. Capitol for a year alongside other national student winners.
The Congressional Art Competition, sponsored by the Congressional Institute, is a nationwide competition that recognizes the visual artwork of high school students. Munane was one of a handful of winners throughout the country who will have her artwork displayed at the Capitol.
Tonko and a panel of judges chose Munane’s painting out of 48 other works of art from students in 18 schools around the Capital District.
“I was surprised that I have been put into the competition at all, but when I actually showed up, I have to admit I wasn’t expecting to win,” said Munane. “When they got past the honorable mentions, I thought that was it.”
Munane said she had told herself that once her name wasn’t called in honorable mentions, that it had been nice just to see the other works of art at the reception. But when “Family Ties” was announced as the first place winner, she was genuinely shocked.
“I think everyone thought it was a false look of shock, but it was real,” Munane said.
Her Advance Studio 2 teacher Carrie Lue said that she was trying to look for Munane at the reception after all honorable mentions and the runner up had been announced.
“They did the three runners up, then they did choice numbers, so it really came down to the wire,” said Lue. “She had no idea. She had no idea she was going to be called next. I was trying to watch her from a distance to see her reaction.”
Lue said she had gotten a phone call in the middle of the week from competition officials saying it was important that Munane and her family attend the reception. “At the end of the conversation, she actually said it is very, very important that (Munane) shows up,” said Lue. However, Lue only found out Munane won first place at the reception as well.
Munane’s painting, inspired by photorealistic artist Audrey Flack, connects to her family history. A bottle of perfume represents her grandmother, who was a model. Photographs show her mother pregnant with her sister, and her sister when she was a child. A string of pearls represents her Spanish heritage, since pearls is a traditional gift at a quinceañera. Two portraits show her grandfather and grandmother.
The painting was done as a midterm assignment for Lue’s class. The assignment was to set up a still life and work from a photograph. Lue said that Munane worked mostly from the still life.
Each school district could select up to three paintings. Shaker High School decided to select the the strongest works from the Advanced Studio 1 and 2, and the design class. Lue said that Munane’s painting was selected because of its personal significance and the realistic detail.
“You can see the reality in the painting,” said Lue. “Margaret set up a very personal still life.”
Munane said she wasn’t even aware that her painting had been entered.
“It was actually entered without me knowing. My art teachers are amazing, and they second they see an opportunity, they enter their students’ pieces of it’s fitting,” she said.
At 16 years old, Munane has just begun to go on college visits and is contemplating her concentration. While still undecided, she said she hopes to become an animator or fashion designer.
In the meantime, Munane and a guest will go to the Capitol in June, tickets given to her at the reception by Southwest Airlines, to attend the opening ceremony of the exhibit.