Skip to main content

Biennial? What's the big deal?




The Salina Biennial Exhibition: Contemporary Art from the Mountain Plains Region officially opened on Feb. 21, 2018 and will run through May 20, 2018. 

So why is the Salina Biennial a big deal, and why should you care?

1) 72 works, 42 artists from 10 states - only in Salina, KS.
This exhibition is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. You will never see this collection of work assembled in one location ever again. Jodi Throckmorton, who juried the show, combed through nearly 500 works submitted for consideration and narrowed it down to these 72. 
Sandra Jean Caes

Palingenesis, 2016
Painted Shoes 60x120x8in
Courtesy of Artist



2) Contemporary art is relevant today, and the artists willingly share points of view on issues they care about.
The Mountain Plains region is what the rest of the country considers "fly over states." As such, is anyone listening to what is happening in the minds and hearts of this middle 1/3 of our country? If the last presidential election is an indicator, we should have learned how important it is to not discount what is happening in the fly over zone. The artists participating in the Biennial are lending their talents to a variety of challenging conversations; conversations that we shouldn't ignore. This powerful exhibition proves the middle 1/3 isn't willing to hide quietly in rural America. 

3) Biennials happen all over the world, and now in Kansas. 
These events shine a spotlight on artwork that is "now." Works are created within a two year time frame of the exhibition, so there is very little work that has been seen by wide audiences. The concepts are fresh, the works are current, and the conversations are relevant to what is happening in the world today. You won't find another event like it in Kansas, we can be proud that Salina is on the cutting edge of bringing this format to our area. 


Shin-hee Chin

Nothingness (2016)
Cotton, mono filament, cotton fabric, 
dyed and stitched
84x48x48in
Courtesy of Artist
Another benefit of the two year format is that you can see the cultural shifts and changing global conversations from event to event. What is "now" today, is not what will be "now" in two years. You also have opportunity to watch artists develop if they are fortunate enough to be selected to multiple events over the course of decades.

4) Museums (like Salina Art Center) are economic contributors to our state. 
The total financial impact that museums have on the economy in Kansas is $311 million. (Source: Oxford Economics, IMPLAN, 2017) An event like the Salina Biennial can impact the local community in multiple ways.  It can increase tourism dollars; mean greater opportunity for local artists to engage with visiting artists, and enhance Salina’s standing as a significant platform for contemporary visual art.

5) When you attend, you will be challenged. 
Stephanie Lanter

Always On (2017)
Porcelain, glaze, thread, and wire
11 x 12 x 5 in.
Courtesy of Artist
Contemporary art provokes emotion and challenges intellect in all sorts of ways. When you engage with contemporary art you can be provoked, confused, inspired, happy, sad, angry, and uneasy. But in that roller coaster of emotions between "love it" and "hate it," you will get to exchange thoughts with people who are also on the wild ride. It's in those exchanges that the seeds of change are sown. Art is a wonderful way to approach challenging subjects with an open mind and lively curiosity.


Take time to visit and support the Salina Biennial by coming in to the Art Center before May 20, 2018. You can learn more about great Biennial Artist programming opportunities by visiting www.SalinaArtCenter.org.








Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ann Resnick's Wichita Trifecta | Jefferson Godard, Curator at Salina Art Center

Photo by Dimitris Skliris courtesy of the Ulrich Museum of Art From a trinity of solo exhibitions at the Ulrich Museum, Fisch Haus, and Steckline Gallery, the Wichita art community is celebrating the forty year career of artist Ann Resnick. Trained as a printmaker, Ann is a conceptually-based artist, cultural advocate, and former gallerist. She also has a focus on chronicling those we have lost. More specifically, her work commemorates and honors the lives of others.  Chapter & Verse , curated by Ksenya Gurstein at the Ulrich Museum of Art focuses on larger serialized works spanning from 1992 - 2021. A series of plastic floral bouquets entitled Offering (2005), radiates on the wall upon entering the exhibition. Organized in a mesmerizing circular pattern, the flower groupings range from a single flower to collections of twenty. While vibrant and celebratory, Offering points to processional themes of remembrance and grief.  In the daunting thirty-six foot long work, Our To...
Post a Comment
Read more

Anticipation: Heart of Art-O-Mat

Did you know that the hottest toy rolling off shelves this holiday season is a plastic dome-shaped case filled with 50 surprises, including dolls and their accessories? The $69.99, MGA Entertainment “L.O.L. Surprise! Big Surprise” ball is quickly becoming the hardest to find gift of the year . This would have made little sense to me a few short weeks ago. However, thanks to the Salina Art Center’s Art-O-Mat, I think I get it! For those who haven’t heard of our Art-O-Mat , I’ll give a little background. The creations of artist Clark Whittington, these vintage cigarette vending machines are repurposed to sell original contemporary art for only $5 per piece. The mission of the Art-O-Mat project is to encourage art consumption by expanding access to artists’ work. The restored machines themselves are visually engaging. There are over 100 active machines in various locations throughout the country involving approximately 400 contributing artists from ten different countries. By p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Art Center Resolutions - 2018

It's that time of year, RESOLUTIONS. Popular goals include  resolutions  to: Improve physical well-being: eat healthy food, lose weight, exercise more, drink less alcohol, quit smoking, stop biting nails, get rid of old bad habits. Improve mental well-being: think positive, laugh more often, enjoy life. But let's take a moment and think about resolutions being made by the Art Center . 2018 is what you might call a cornerstone year for the Art Center . The organization is celebrating it's 40th year of being a pillar for cultural identity in our community. Board of Trustees and Executive Director Bill North have made some big moves to strengthen the core of the organization creating a strong foundation that can support innovation and ingenuity. All the restructuring and investments have happened behind the scenes, but have set us up for one of the most exciting years the Art Center has had in a decade. Experts say you are more likely to maintain progress toward resolutio...
Post a Comment
Read more