The Dallas Biennale is a new forum for contemporary art which proposes a conceptual exploration of the biennale as a platform for exhibiting art. It is organized by Dallas Contemporary, regarded as “America’s Kunsthalle”. Taking place in various locations in Dallas’ city center and design district, it will be shaped by the concepts of curator Florence Ostende, a Paris-based adjunct curator for Dallas Contemporary, who was appointed to create a dialogue among the city of Dallas, audiences for contemporary art, and a large number of international artists. Locations for the Dallas Biennale include: Dallas Contemporary, Neiman Marcus (Main Street), Dallas Art Fair, Goss-Michael Foundation, the Oliver Francis Gallery, and the Nasher Sculpture Center.
This is the first large-scale survey exhibition of international artists to be presented by Dallas Contemporary to audiences in Dallas and across the country. The Dallas Biennale is intended to be a survey of international scope. However, it is not an exhibition that revives the encyclopedic format of other grand international surveys. Rather, it is a critique of them. The exhibition is intended to ignite larger intellectual discussions surrounding international biennales. The focus of this one and only Dallas Biennale (and its ironic title), is to highlight each artist with a large space to exhibit his or her work, from photography to performance. No overarching theme will exist. The exhibition marks a return to early biennale principals of celebrating artistic ideas.
All work included in the Biennale is original and has been made specifically for the exhibition. The 19 artists selected for the Biennale incorporate themes about the power of large-scale exhibitions such as biennales, viewed from an early 21st century perspective. For some artists in the exhibition, the clichéd concept of the curated, multi-venue, institutional exhibition dominates their ideas and art, while others take a more individual, existential approach to their work.
The Dallas Biennale highlights international contemporary art with the inclusion of artists from Asia, Europe, and North and South America. Capturing the cultural, social, and political aspects
of a large city, works in the exhibition include installation, painting, sculpture, photography, and video.
Artists work in video are: Erwin Wurm (UK); Nick Barbee (USA); Anthea Behm (Australia); Michael Corris (USA); Zoe Crosher (USA); Pierre Joseph (France); Claude Leveque (France); Gabriel Martinez (USA); Michael Smith (USA); Mario Garcia Torres (Mexico); and Clarissa Tossin (Brazil).
Artists performing in video are: Heyd Fontenot (USA); Brian Scott (USA); Daniel Kusner (USA); Hilly Holsonback (USA); Joey Seeman (USA)