Melanie Authier Augury 2010 Courtesy National Gallery of Canada / photo © NGC
The National Gallery of Canada has released a list of artists involved in its 2012 Canadian Biennial, which opens on the evening of November 1.
Titled “Builders,” the exhibition will include Vikky Alexander, David Altmejd, Benoit Aquin, Melanie Authier, Jim Breukelman, Michel de Broin, Edward Burtynsky, Lynne Cohen, Chris Cran, Max Dean, Susan Dobson, Marcel Dzama, Brendan Fernandes, Robert Fones, Will Gorlitz, Terence Gower, David Ross Harper, Faye HeavyShield, Dil Hildebrand, David Hoffos, Simon Hughes, Elisapee Ishulutaq, Sarah Anne Johnson, Brian Jungen, Myfanwy MacLeod, Qavavau Manumie, Lynne Marsh, Scott McFarland, Jason McLean, Michael Merrill, David Merritt, Evan Penny, Sandy Plotnikoff, Jon Pylypchuk, Leslie Reid, David K. Ross, Mark Ruwedel, Michael Snow, Mark Soo, Derek Sullivan, Ron Terada, Joanne Tod, Stephen Waddell, and Daniel Young and Christian Giroux.
The gallery has stated that the title of the exhibition plays off sports references and the Hockey Hall of Fame where visitors encounter tributes to “those professionals, often former players, whose off-ice contributions have helped to grow the development of the game itself.”
Unlike many worldwide biennials, the Canadian Biennial is acquisitions-based, featuring 100 recent and significant acquisitions by emerging and established artists that the National Gallery of Canada states are “instrumental in shaping perspectives in Canadian art today.”
A preliminary program of events was also released for the biennial. Following the vernissage on November 1 at 6 p.m., there will be curators’ talks on November 9 at 12:15 p.m. and an art tour on December 21.
The early days of the exhibition also coincide with the lecture series Visions: Museums in the 21st Century involving a panel with Laurent Le Bon, director of the Centre Pompidou-Metz and Jean de Loisy, president of the Palais de Tokyo, on November 10 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The biennial will run until January 20.
