(PNAN-ME) – It has become noted as one of the principal juried exhibitions for contemporary art in the state of Maine since its inception in 1998. The “Art Biennial” for 2011, which is on view through June 5 at the Portland Museum of Art, is the seventh in a series that showcases the best in today’s art world by artists associated with Maine, from digital video to painting, installation to photography, sculpture to prints and more.
At the recent opening reception, five prizes were awarded which were: The Purchase Prizes, which are chosen by select members of the Museum’s Collection Committee and the works become part of the Museum’s permanent collection, went to: Philip Brou for “Black Box”; James Groleau, “Arbil Rubia Riyadh” and ”Sinjar Karbala Basra”; Siri Sahaj Kaur, “Kristie”; and Don Voisine, “High Time.” The William E. and Helen E. Thon Jurors’ Prize of $4,000 was awarded to artist Michael Shaughnessy for “Cascade, Current and Pool” (For the Vanquished Falls of the Presumpscot River).
Out of the 902 applicants, jurors Jim Kempner, Owner and Director of Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York; David Row, a painter based in New York and Maine; and Joanna Marsh, the James Dicke Curator of Contemporary Art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., 65 works by 47 artists make up the show, who are and artworks:
Mary Aro (US, born 1929), “Horizontal Metal” 2010, oil on canvas, 16×20 inches; Carol Aronson-Shore (US, b1941), “Morning Tree Shadows” 2010, oil on canvas, 30×30 inches and “Early Morning Light” 2009, oil on canvas, 30×30 inches; Jeremy Barnard (US, b1948), “BIFF 55” 2009, infrared photography, 12×17 1/2 inches and “Warren Station” 2009, infrared photography, 11 1/2 x18 inches; Kim Bernard (US, b1965), “Synergy 17” 2010, encaustic, cable, steel, 96x288x36 inches; Natasha Bowdoin (US b1981), Untitled (Alice), 2008-2011, pencil and gouache on cut paper, dimensions variable; Philip Brou (US b1977), “Black Box” 2010, scale model reconstruction: mixed media, drawing from direct observation at dawn: acrylic on paper, door rubbing: graphite on graph paper, schematic rendering: graphite on drafting vellum, dimensions variable; David Caras (US b1948), “Power of Cuba-26” 2008, photographic print, 22×30 inches and “Power of Cuba-29” 2010, photographic print, 22×30 inches; Avy Claire (US b1954), “For The Trees” 2008, rapidograph on polyester film, 10x14x17 feet; Thomas Connolly (US b1961), “Greenhut” 2010, oil on panel, 28×24 inches; William Pearce Cox (US b1962), Untitled 2010, pigment print, 16×20 inches and Untitled 2010, pigment print, 20×14 inches.
Jon Edwards (US b1952), “Winter Window” 2007, selenium toned silver gelatin, 10×10 inches and “Hill House” 2007, selenium toned silver gelatin, 10×10 inches; Alicia Eggert (US b1981), “Wonder” 2011, proximity sensor, servo motors, Arduino microprocessor, electrical components, MDF panel, acrylic, house paint, spray paint, ink and graphite, 80x48x4 inches; Sarah Faragher (US b1967), “Storm Front over Thrumbcap, Islesboro, Maine” 2010, oil on canvas, 24×18 inches; Clint Fulkerson (US b 1980), “Division Series” 2009, graphite on paper on panels, 12×84 inches; Kathleen Galligan (US b1951), “And So It Begins” 2010, oil on linen, 30×32 inches; Marissa Girard (US b1986), “Calvary #2” 2010, oil and wax on collaged panel, 80x36x1 1/2 inches; Carly Glovinski (US b1981), “Cheeseburger Double” 2010, acrylic and ink on vellum, 3 ½ x4x3 inches and “617,857, 2011” phonebooks, plywood, adhesive, sealant, 250 square feet (variable); Alisha Gould (US b1979), “Ejecta” 2010, clay, ink, 36×23 feet (dimensions variable); James Groleau (US b1960), “Sinjar Karbala Basra” 2008, mezzotint, 11 3/4×31 inches and “Arbil Rubia Riyadh” 2008, mezzotint, 11 3/4×31 inches; Tyson Jacques (US b1983), “Imperative Series: Portrait of My Father” 2010, oil on canvas, 60×72 inches.
Michael Kahn (US b1960), “Treasure Hunt” 2010, digital reproduction from black and white negative, 30×30 inches; Rachel Katz (US b1973), “Rosette Nebula and Star Cluster No. 1” and “Rosette Nebula and Star Cluster No. 2” 2010, cut paper, 36×36 inches (each), 74 x 108 inches (overall); Siri Sahaj Kaur (US b1976), “Kristie” 2007, chromogenic print, 45×35 inches; John G. Kelley (US b1957), “Island Passage” 2007, paper/archival pigment print, 12×12 inches and “Aroostook Song” 2008, paper/archival pigment print, 11 3/8×16 inches; Mark Ketzler (US b1958), “Maternal” 2009, toned silver gelatin print, 27×48 inches; Selena Kimball (US b1973), “The New World” 2009, collaged engravings (made from the contents of the 1894 print edition of Glimpses of the World by John Stoddard), 38×275 inches; Colleen Kinsella (US b1975), “Geodesic Garden-Bucky Fuller II”, The Garden series 2009, etching, monotype and screen print with chine collé, 22×55 inches; Sarah Knock (US b1947), “Just Water” 2009, oil on canvas, 40×30 inches; Lesley MacVane (US b1950), “Cliff Island Blues” 2010, photographic print, 16×24 inches and “Madelyn’s Yard” 2010, photographic print, 16×24 inches; Robert Monroe (US b1958), “Victoria Winters Project #19, Portland, Maine” 2010, gelatin silver print, 19×19 inches; “Victoria Winters Project #12, Middleburgh, New York” 2009, gelatin silver print, 19×19 inches; “Victoria Winters Project #11, Kennebunkport, Maine” 2009, gelatin silver print, 19×19 inches; and “Victoria Winters Project #4, Salem, Massachusetts” 2009, gelatin silver print, 19×19 inches.
Lauren O’Neal (US b1968), “The Earnest Contingent” 2004-2010, 60+ chairs, 14x10x8 feet (variable); Heath Paley (US b1948), “Window Seats” 2010, pigment inkjet print, 13 5/16×42 inches; Michael Penney (US b1950), “Peter + Bean, Artist + Dog” 2009, digital photograph, 30×20 inches and “Edouard Langlois, Artist” 2009, digital photograph, 30×20 inches; Beverly Rippel (US b1947), “Pink Cap Gun I” 2010, oil and encaustic on linen, 50×52 inches; Rebecca Rivers (US b1949), “Spring Suite 2” 2010, watercolor, 30×38 inches; Liv Kristin Robinson (US b1949), “En-Route series: New York City #2” 2010, color photograph, digitally enhanced, dye-infused metal print, 15 x 24 inches; “New York City #1” 2010, color photograph, digitally enhanced, dye-infused metal print, 151/4×24 inches; “New York City #4” 2010, color photograph, digitally enhanced, dye-infused metal print, 16×24 inches; and “New York City #3” 2010, color photograph, digitally enhanced, dye-infused metal print, 16×24 inches; Gavin Laurence Rouille (US b1987), “Transgender Walkway” 2009, wood, paint, photographs, silkscreen, varnish, 47×70 inches.
Michael Shaughnessy (US b1958), “Cascade, Current and Pool (For the Vanquished Falls of the Presumpscot River)” 2011, hay and twine, 23x20x4 feet (variable); Robert Shillady (US b1947), “Herrick Bay Freshet” 2010, acrylic on linen, 20×24 inches; Suzannah Sinclair (US b1979), “Easy Living” 2010, watercolor and pencil on birch panel, 26×20 inches; Andrew Thompson (US b1987), “Overtook” 2009, digital animation; Richard Veit (US b1946), “Beinecke Library Courtyard” 2008, photographic print, 10×15 inches and “Museum Light on Guardrail” 2007, photographic print, 10×12 inches; August Ventimiglia (US b1972), Untitled (ilulisap itsirnga) 2011, snap-line chalk on wall, 10×20 feet; Don Voisine (US b1952), “High Time” 2008, oil on wood, 44×44 inches; Mark Wethli (US b1949), “Kwazy Wabbit” 2009, acrylic on wood panel, 20×15 inches and “Cinnamon Girl” 2009, acrylic on wood panel, 20×15 inches; Ellen Wieske (US b1958), “Quilt Drawing” 2009, steel wire, 48x96x6 inches; and Deborah Wing-Sproul (US b1957), “Tidal Culture Part III: Latitude 65.570N/Longitude -37.890W, Greenland” 2009, single channel video projection, 1 hour.
For more information and artwork views, see www.portlandmuseum.org.