The Bermuda National Gallery and Bacardi Limited are proud to present the 2008 Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Bermuda Art. The 8th Biennial will run from April 25 to September 4 and features 86 works by 41 local artists, selected by an international jury from more than 250 submissions from 68 artists.
The Biennial comprises of work completed by Bermudian and resident artists between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007. The exhibition was open to all Bermudian artists on the Island or overseas as well as foreign nationals who were resident in Bermuda for at least six months during the competition period.
The distinguished international jurors for this year’s Biennial were Mark Krisco, Artist, Curator, and instructor, Art Institute of Chicago and Franklin Sirmans, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Menil Collection, Houston, Texas. In a joint statement, they explained: “We have particularly focused on the artists that have not hesitated beyond comfortable boundaries; artists whose work has led them to a place outside comfortable boundaries – a place that may even seem “foreign” to them. It has been our experience that it is such artists who “go out on a limb” create art that comes from a place deeper within themselves. Far beyond competence and ego, it is a place that all viewers will relate to aesthetically and soulfully.”
In addition to new works by established artists such as Sharon R. Wilson, Charman prize winner Katherine Harriott, Will Collieson, Vaughan and Amy Evans, Dana Cooper, Caroline Troncossi, Edwin M. E. Smith and Jill Amos Raine, this year’s Biennial also features new talent such as Frank Chiappa, Miles Manders, Charles Godet Thomas, Kok Wan Lee and Susan Pearson, who are exhibiting in the Biennial for the first time. BNG Director Laura Gorham said: “Every two years, the Biennial presents a snapshot of our contemporary art scene and this year the picture is as diverse, thought provoking and innovative as ever. Indeed, we think is one of the strongest Biennials we have ever mounted.
“The Biennial is a subjective selection by experienced and knowledgeable international jurors who are not familiar with Bermuda’s artists. We believe this brings a fresh critical eye to Bermudian art that selects work based on its artistic merit and quality. We believe that by having the courage to submit to this process, local artists benefit enormously from the exposure, constructive criticism, prestige, and understanding of how their work is considered in an international context.”
This year’s Biennial is accompanied by a 100-plus page catalogue that illustrates all works in the exhibition, truly providing a complete record of the Biennial. The catalogue includes an essay by Bermudian scholar Dr. Christina Storey in which she examines the role of both collections and exhibitions in the development of the museum as an institution, and looks specifically at the special place that a biennial has as a potent type of exhibition. Dr. Storey received her PhD in Modern History from Oxford University and her BA in History and Literature from Harvard,
The Biennial also features a complementary programme of lectures, educational events and panel discussions featuring many of the Biennial artists. For further details, visit www.bng.bm
The Bermuda National Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. Admission free.
