Road Work Gallery Reception and Car Show curated by Ava Burke

ROAD WORK is a multimedia exhibition curated by Ava Burke, recipient of the 2026 John Dorsey Prize for Outstanding Curatorial Practice. It explores roads, roadway infrastructure, maintenance work, and car culture as subjects for contemporary art, considering the road as a shared environment shaped by obstacles, detours, repair, and routine labor.

The gallery reception coincides with the ROAD WORK CAR SHOW in Tawes Plaza. The outdoor presentation will include a range of selected vehicles, from UMD students’ everyday commuter cars to restored vintage sports cars, customized art cars, and working utility vehicles. Site-specific vehicle installations by UMD Studio Art MFA candidates Andżelika Berestko and Jonah Brock will be incorporated into the car show.

When: Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Showtimes: 5:00 p.m.

Tickets: Free

Admission: General admission

Venue: Herman Maril Gallery, Parren J. Mitchell Art-Sociology Building, The Clarice at UMD

Curator: Ava Burke

Exhibition artists: Jeffery Hampshire, Julie Libersat, Julia Reising, and WorkingWorking Group, consisting of Nancy Nowacek and Allison Rowe

Car show installations: Andżelika Berestko and Jonah Brock, UMD Studio Art MFA candidates

Formats: Installation, sculpture, sound, video, and site-specific vehicular installations

Related event: ROAD WORK CAR SHOW in Tawes Plaza

Festival: Part of NextNOW Fest, the University of Maryland’s multi-day arts festival

Livestream: No livestream

Ages: No age restriction is stated.

Accessibility: Available services include wheelchair-accessible seating, size-inclusive seating, large-print programs, assisted listening devices, adult and child sensory packs, and quiet spaces. ASL interpretation, audio description, and captioning may be available for select events or by request at least six weeks in advance.