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an Art Critic is a person who is professionally engaged in the analysis & interpretation of works of art

an Art Movement is a specific art style with a philosophy followed by a group of artists during a restricted period of time

a Critique is an article or essay criticizing a literary or other work; detailed evaluation; review

an Aficionado is a person who likes, knows about & appreciates a particular interest and fervently pursues it

an Escort is a person who under their protection, care, or safeguard accompanies another on a journey, not Berlusconi's definition

03 July 2011

Biennale of Chianciano Wikipedia Page created by Francesca Owens

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Biennale of Chianciano is an international festival of contemporary art, held every two years (in odd years) in Tuscany, Italy. The 2011 international event will be the host to more than 150 global artists, displaying over 400 works from than 50 different countries, chosen from thousands of hopeful applicants.
New York Times article was quoted as calling the Chianciano Museum of Art the Biennale of Chianciano's host site as'impressive' in an article that described the historical importance of works and the layout of the museum 'intentionally non-linear'.[1]
The Biennale of Chianciano will be held September 17th through the 24th, 2011. The exhibition is open from 10am-12am and 4pm-7pm and admission is free. The Biennale is displayed in just over 3000 square meters (10,000 square feet) and arranged on four floors.
Contents

·        1 Collaborations
·        2 History
·        3 Vision
·        4 Competition Format
·        5 References

Collaborations

European Confederation of Art Critics An important appointment for the Biennale of Chianciano 2011 is the ECAC’s presentation of six awards given by the Confederation.

International Galleries A special incentive to unique international galleries is to mingle and network with these Biennale artists. More than 300 art galleries from around the world are being hosted in 4* hotels in Chianciano to discover and collaborate with new artists. Each artist has the ability to nominate 1 gallery of their choice to be invited.

Chianciano Art Museum The Museum space that normally houses 5 permanent collections (Asian, Contemporary, Design, Engravings and Etchings) becomes temporary relocated to host this Biennale event. In addition, the museum offers educational workshops helping artist grow like, "Copyright: How to Protect your Intellectual Property".

Oxford University Alumni Alumni students present an award to a chosen artist at the Biennale in addition to hosting a workshop, “Oxford University: Great Thinkers, Great Artists, throughout the Centuries".

Gagliardi Gallery Thirty artists are selected from the Biennale and are invited to participate in the Chianciano Biennale of London held at Gagliardi Gallery, one of the oldest and most established 
contemporary art galleries in London.

Cancer Research Charity Auction Auction without reserve raises funds with all of the proceeds being donated to the charity nation chosen by the artists exhibiting in the exhibition.

Artists’ Voice TV Talk Studio The Museum has created a video recording studio in which the artists during the Biennale are able to share and express he thoughts and motivations behind one of his artworks. The Artist expresses his/her way to see the world; giving the opportunity to art lovers and collectors to see what lies behind his work of visual art. It is the beginning of an art archive for the Biennale.

History
After four years of renovation, the 150-year-old building abandoned hotel came to life being converted into the Museum of Art of Chianciano.
The first Biennale was held 13th - 29th of September 2009 and was attended by more than 10,000 guests. The Biennale of Contemporary Art 2009 is a 90 page catalogue of exhibitors.

Vision
The Biennale transform the town of Chianciano into a hub of cultural diversity where artists, curators, gallery owners and art lovers will be able to meet one another, encouraging debate and the exchange of ideas, with events ranging from a charity auction to the “Biennale in Musica” concert.
“Our aim is to create active spectators,” Mr. Gagliardi said. “Art isn’t two-dimensional; it transmits emotion and moves the intellect.” With this goal in mind, the museum is laid out in an intentionally nonlinear format.

Competition Format
Its agenda is to identify internationally emerging artist in three forms of media, painting, drawing, and sculptures with a mix of mediums i.e. canvas, wood, wax, clay etc.
Artists are chosen by the Biennale Selection Committee purely on grounds of skill and talent. The Committee consists of curators and experts who are members of the Art Museum of Chianciano Terme.
Hanging for the exhibition is not done by genre or by artistic movement. Instead it emphasizes that the effect of the individual work is of prime significance.
References
1.    ^ DONATI, JESSICA (September 13, 2009). "An Art Collection Lands in Italy". NY Times. Retrieved 3 July 2011.

02 July 2011

Biennales are in the air, I can feel it! The TOP 15 Countdown!

Susan Kendzulak is an artist and writer based in Asia
Whether you spell it the European way 'biennale' or the American way 'biennial', the meaning is the same: a mega art exhibition which takes place every two years.
The Biennial became an increasingly important international art exhibition, especially during the 1990s and sprouted in numerous cities. The Biennial also helped shift the focus of art from the major art centers to other locations, while aiding the local tourism industry.

In the late 1990s and 2000s, numerous conferences and academic texts explored the importance and relevance of the Biennial as a concept. One such text is the The Biennial Reader anthology.

The Venice Biennale is the granddaddy of them all. Established in 1895, when world's fairs were the trend, the art from various nations were showcased in the Giardini (the Garden), which is host to several national pavilions, each with its own unique history of architectural development.

The huge exhibition has expanded in size throughout the city of Venice, with new pavilions and exhibition sites being added each time. The Venice Biennale takes place from June to November during odd-numbered calendar years.

The São Paulo Biennial in Brazil began in 1951 and takes place during even-numbered years. It is the biggest and oldest biennial in the Americas and it features Brazilian, Latin American and international contemporary art in its curated thematic exhibitions.

documenta in Kassel, Germany is not a biennial, since it is held every 5 years. However, it ranks in prestige and importance with the world's top biennials and triennials.

During its opening preview, arts professionals including artists, curators, museum directors, critics, art dealers, etc. from around the world attend. Established in 1955, documenta is one of the major must-see art exhibitions.

The Biennale of Sydney in Australia was established in 1973, making it the 3rd oldest biennial in the world. From June to September in even-numbered years, the mega exhibition takes place throughout the city of Sydney.

The Havana Biennial in Cuba began in 1984 and is known for showcasing non-western art mainly from Latin American and Caribbean artists.

The Istanbul Biennial in Turkey began in 1987 and takes place in the fall of odd-numbered years. It is one of the most prestigious art exhibitions for international contemporary art. Like many of the other biennials, the art curator is chosen by committee. The curator then develops the concept, theme and list of artists for the exhibition.

Another main feature of biennials is that they are not isolated museum exhibitions, but rather involve the entire city in its make-up, so parts of the biennial exhibition take place in galleries, abandoned factories, public parks, waterfronts, etc. There will also be seminars, workshops, tours, film screenings, etc.

The Lyon Biennial in Lyon, France was founded in 1984 and is held from September to December in odd-numbered years. It is highly regarded for its carefully crafted thematic exhibitions.

The Dak'Art Biennial of Contemporary African Art in Dakar, Senegal began in 1992 and is held in May during even-numbered years. It features contemporary African art.

The Sharjah Biennial takes place in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Established in 1993 as a local art exhibition, by 2003 the focus changed to make it an international contemporary art biennial.

The Berlin Biennial is located in Berlin, Germany which is one of the biggest and most popular international artist communities in the world. Modeled after the Aperto exhibition in the Venice Biennale, the Berlin Biennial was established in 1998 to promote cutting-edge contemporary art and to reflect the city's importance as a vital art center.

The Shanghai Biennale in China started in 1996 as an exhibition of local artists using traditional Chinese ink-painting techniques. In the year 2000, the seminal exhibition curated by Hou Hanru featured conceptual art, installation art, new media, video and digital art to create an international biennial.

The Yokohama Triennial in Japan, near Tokyo, is a triennial and not a biennial, so it takes place every three years instead of two. It was established in 2001.

The Singapore Biennale is relatively new as it started in 2006. Since its establishment, the city-state's art scene has strengthened and the Biennale has proven to be extremely popular with visitors.

New York's famous Whitney Biennial takes place at the Whitney Museum and showcases the artworks from both emerging and established American-based artists. It is often fondly referred to as the exhibition one loves to hate.

Manifesta, also called the European Biennial of Contemporary art began in 1996 and takes place in a different European non-art center every two years. Manifesta has taken place in Rotterdam, Luxembourg, Ljubljana, Frankfurt, San Sebastian, Trentino-South Tyrol, and Murcia. 

Beauty is in the carrot of the beholder... DEFECTS by Tim Symth

When visiting a packaging factory in Yorkshire England, Smyth watched the conveyer belt arm drop down and whisk away odd carrots. They were pushed aside and discarded. As the process continued he wondered, who defined which carrots were “beautiful enough” to be merchandised for sale and which of them became destined for pig feed!