National Sculpture Society (NSS) and the Fantasy Fountain Fund, Inc. (FFF), are pleased to announce the opening of the 2026 Young Sculptors Exhibition at the NSS Gallery. The show features 20 figurative works by 16 contemporary sculptors — age 30 or younger — and is on view March 2 – April 24, 2026 at the midtown gallery.

The biennial exhibition is an exploration and celebration of work by the next generation of figurative sculptors. The artists included in the show are from all parts of the United States and their individual interests and points of view are expressed in the subject matter and styles on display.  The NSS and FFF began the tradition of showcasing the work of up-and-coming sculptors in 2022 to encourage and promote today’s emerging artists. The show includes  figures, busts, and bas-reliefs in a variety of media that highlight new approaches to figurative work taken by this younger generation of artists. The works challenge and engage the viewer and underscore the creativity of these sculptors on the precipice of exciting sculpture careers.

Sculptors in the show are Andrew Cantu, Korbyn Carleton, Lucas Carter, Elizabeth Conway, Samuel Davis, Jordan Hein, Charlotte Irizarry, Lukas Kunjan, Christopher Kunk, Aldo Macedo, Marina Melluzzo, Kelly Micca, Anne Roffler, Gabriela Santana, Michelle Wen and Maia Williamson.

The Jury of Selection for the 2026 Young Sculptors Exhibition included Zoe Dufour, NSS; Ben Hammond, FNSS; Joshua Koffman, FNSS. The jury selected works based on skill, competence, and success in composition and message.

Chinese-American Michelle Wen blends traditional Chinese motifs with contemporary themes of identity and transformation, using symbols from myths, memories, and stories of perseverance and growth. “My porcelain vessels are references to historical ceramic designs, reimagined through personal narratives and contemporary processes. Winding Dragons reference a Hirado Porcelain vessel from the late Edo Period, that originally featured a painting of a Chinese lion and similarly sculpted dragons. I chose this design because it merged two cultures together, reflecting an exchange of ideas through porcelain.”

Gabriela Santana draws upon her roots in the Dominican Republic for her wall relief, El Kiosko de Mama. “My work explores memory, space, and time, inspired by early childhood experiences in my grandmother’s house in the Dominican Republic. When I returned years later, I was struck by the gap between memory and reality, which made me think about how memories shift and change. I primarily work with wood, referencing Dominican craftsmanship and it resourcefulness. The material is also personal to me, since Madera is my mother’s last name. Through my sculptures, I create spaces that feel both familiar and unfamiliar, inviting to experience them the way memories surface, layer, and evolve.”

For Samuel Davis’ bust, Aja, he chose not to erase the artist’s hand in the sculpture’s development, but rather honor the steps. “With this portrait, I wanted the final work to reflect the process that brought it into being. Marks remain on the base from the shaping of the clay that was roughed in around the shoulders and smeared with a block of wood. Across the portrait are the seams, an artifact of the casting process, a reminder that this work has transformed again and again in a process of destruction and rebirth to exist before us now.”

A Jury of Awards will meet after the exhibition is installed and give three Fantasy Fountain Fund monetary grants of $1,000 each to three deserving artists. In addition, each artist in the show will receive one-year Associate membership in NSS.

Grants for the 2026 Young Artists Exhibition are made possible with the generous support of The Fantasy Fountain Fund, Inc.