XVIII Galeria Aberta - Beja 2013

 The Escudeiros Gallery (Galeria dos Escudeiros) was this year's chosen venue for the opening of the XVIII Galeria Aberta, in the Portuguese city of Beja.
The event was atended by many artists and public in general, once again demonstrating the continuous success of this initiative throughout the years.

 This 18th edition of Galeria Aberta shows the works of 183 artists from several countries, mostly from Portugal and Spain. The range varies between drawing, painting, instalation, sculpture, photography and mixed media.

 Visitors to the exhibition will be able to enjoy the different use of media and see how each artist conveys his/her ideas through their use. From classical to contemporary, or from realism to abstraccionism, the range of artworks exhibited will make your visit worthwhile.

 Due to the high number of participating artists, the exhibition takes place in three venues:

Galeria dos Escudeiros - Rua dos Escudeiros, 30
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Beja - Rua D. Manuel I
Casa do Governador (inside the castle) - Largo do Lidador
 

The XVIII Galeria Aberta - Beja 2013, can be visited until the 15 November 2013.
Admitance is free.
For further information, please call +351 284 311 910.

Organized by the City Hall of Beja and Escudeiros - Galeria Municipal, with the support of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Beja and the sponsorship of Liberty Seguros.

The Academy of Reciprocal Enlightenment, Shanghai Biennale 2012 - Call for Applications

 The Shanghai Biennale 2012 will occur under the theme Reactivation, interpretating among other aspects the social mobilization and structure of community, as well as  the critical role of education.

 With the purpose of offering a broad view upon these subjects, the curatorial team determined to include lectures, seminars and other communication events into the framework of a short-term training program that will take place this autumn.

 The program is named “the Academy of Reciprocal Enlightenment”, as “Academy” refers to a Platonic-style community of wisdom and criticism. It embodies our educational philosophy: education is a self-governing action by learner communities, which serve as a platform of exchanges and dissemination of opinions.

 Art Writer/Journalist Workshop; Curatorial Practice Workshop; IMMERSION - Art

Technology Workshops, are the three choices available for those who wish to participate in the program. Each workshop is explained in detail, together with the qualification and application requirements.

 Although the Shanghai Biennale will grant tuition and accommodation to all of the selected participants for the entire course in Shanghai, these will be responsible for their round-trip airfares to and from Shanghai, visa fee and living expenses (meal and local car fare) during their stay.

 Participants should read all the details about the workshops that they wish to frequent and contact the organizer in case of any doubt.

 This can be a great opportunity to gain experience and advance your artistic career, especially when the East and Middle East are assuming an indubitable role in the art market and this program will give you a closer view about their perspective. You will also have the chance to share your ideas with others like you and learn from theirs.

Manifesta 9 - The European Biennial of Contemporary Art

 
Since its start in 1996, Manifesta has taken place in Rotterdam, Luxembourg, Ljubljana, Frankfurt, Donostia-San Sebastian, Trentino-Alto Adige and Murcia. For this reason, Manifesta is considered at this time the only itinerant european biennial of contemporary art.

 After yesterday's preview Manifesta 9 opens today to the public at the spectacular site of the former Waterschei mine in Genk, Limburg, Belgium.

 This year's edition entitled The Deep of the Modern, is curated by Cuauhtémoc Medina (Mexico City), who developed the concept for Manifesta 9, and associated curators Dawn Ades (London) and Katherina Gregos (Brussels/Athens). This exhibition is presented in three sections that as a whole, providing not only a comprehensive perspective of the social impact caused by the mining industry in Limburg, but also of global issues and influences in socities caused by the mining industry.

 The first section (Poetics of Restructuring) shows works created by 35 international contemporary artists who were invited to convey the connection between the local theme and global issues while focusing on the regional context. At the historical section (The Age of Coal), works of art from the 19th and 20th centuries, representative of the coal industry, offer an overview of the impact of the coal industry. The third section (17 Tons) focuses on the extensive legacy and repercussions that the Limburg mining industry has left behind.

 With the concept developed for the 2012 edition, Manifesta 9 not only brings to the public a world representative selection of contemporay art, but also a remarkable collection of historical works and an innovative and surprising way to show the mining heritage  to local and international audiences.

In its programme, Manifesta includes guided tours, family and educational events, lectures, performances, a worshop and a symposium.

As a recurring initiative in all Manifesta editions, cultural projects take place during the same period of the biennial. The Parallel Events programme offers a communication platform for local individual artists, interdisciplinary cultural producers, art organizations and institutions, to present their art and cultural initiatives to an international audience.
This year, the Parallel Events are being organized in the Region of Belgium Limburg, Dutch Limburg, Wallonia and others parts of Flanders.

Manifesta 9 takes place until September 30, 2012

XI Havana Biennial

The XI Havana Biennial (Oncena Bienal de La Habana, 2012) is a multicultural event caracterized by a relevant curatorial process. Since it's start in 1984, although with a particular focus on Central and South American artists, as well as from The Caribbean, the Biennial has gained the participation of artists from around the world, including Europe, Asia and Middle East - this year's event brings 112 guest artists and 9 group projects from 45 countries.

A diversified programme that includes exhibitions, films, theather, conferences, book presentations, etc, is taking place at several venues around the city. It's an unlosable opportunity to revisit renowned artists and to discover emerging talents, especially when the relevancy of Latin American artists is starting to gain momentum in the artworld.

The XI Havana Biennial is running until 11th June 2012

VI Biennial of São Tomé and Príncipe: Heritage(s)

This November 1, was inaugurated in the CACAU - CASA DAS ARTES CRIAÇÃO AMBIENTE UTOPIAS museum/art gallery, the VI Biennial of São Tomé and Príncipe (6ª Bienal de São Tomé e Príncipe).

Organized by CIAC - Centro Internacional de Arte e Cultura, with the colaboration of João Carlos Silva, and curatorship of Adelaide Ginga from the Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea -- Museu do Chiado, this year's biennial arrives to the public under the theme: Heritage(s).

Inspired in the former role of São Tomé and Príncipe (St. Thomas & Prince), not only as a slave commerce entrepôt, but also as a place of gathering between different people and cultures, the VI Biennial of São Tomé and Príncipe aims to become a cultural place of reference in Africa and an alternative to other biennials.

To stimulate artistic experiments through artistic residencies, sharing cultural experiencies between artists, curators, gallerists, critics, historians, and to incentivate the art lab concept, will be some of the characteristics of this biennial.

The VI Biennial of São Tomé and Príncipe will show the work of artists from Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, France, Guiné-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor Leste.
An international colective exhibition centred on the architectural heritage - "Inventar(iar) as Roças de São Tomé e Príncipe"; and Roça Língua a project about portuguese linguistic universe and heritage, which will happen betwwen 1 and 8 of November, are some of the several initiatives offered to the public and taking place along the archipelago.

Also included will be a documentary and film cycle about Africa and its heritage(s), by African authors, a homage to the artist Almada Negreiros, two projects of photography in public spaces about Tchiloli, workshops and educational ateliers, as well as entertainment events that value traditional performing arts.

In February 2012, through a partnership with the City Hall of Lisbon, the White and Black halls of the City Museum (Pavilhões Branco e Preto do Museu da Cidade), will host a selection of works completed during the artistic residencies, as well as the project "Inventar(iar) as Roças de São Tomé e Príncipe.
The São Jorge Cinema (Lisbon) will show the Cine Africa Cicle and in the Ordem dos Arquitectos, will take place a seminary entitled "Patriomónio(s). Portugal - África" (Patrimony(s). Portugal - Africa).

The VI Biennial of São Tomé and Príncipe: Heritage(s), can be visited through November 30, 2011.

11th Biennale de Lyon - A Terrible Beauty is Born

Conceived by the Argentinean curator Victoria Noorthoorn and baptized under "A Terrible Beauty is Born" (Une Terrible Beauté est Née), after a verse from the poem Easter, written in 1916 by the Irish writer W.B. Yeats, the 11th Biennale de Lyon will host the works of near 70 artists from around the world, mostly from Europe, Africa and Latin America.

The biennial will occupy over 14.000 square meters, across four venues: La Sucrière, the Fondation Bullukian, the Musée d’art contemporain de Lyon, and the T.A.S.E. factory.

Two platforms, "Veduta" and "Résonanse," will complement this international exhibition, contributing to enhance the visitors experience and with the purpose of getting artists and public to interact.

Veduta 2011 will be presented to the public in four distincted venues: The 21st Century Museum, The White Cube, The Kiosque and Artist Residences.

Résonance 2011 will offer over 125 attractions across Greater Lyon and the Rhône-Alpes region, including dance, performance, theatre, photography, video, installations, design, music, and literature, presented through more than 90 art centres, private galleries and cultural institutions. Artist collectives will also team up with the Biennale de Lyon.

The high points in the programme are the Biennale’s opening week (10-17 September), featuring a host of openings, exhibitions, concerts, screenings and events; and the Nuit Résonance, an all-night event held in central Lyon on 24 November. Full programme to be published in August 2011 in the Résonance guide (30,000 copies) available in Biennale participating venues and at the official website.

The 11th Biennale de Lyon can be visited from Thursday 15 September 2011 to Saturday 31 December 2011 (Tuesday to Friday, 11am to 6pm - Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 7pm).
Closed on Mondays and on 25 December 2011.
Professional preview will take place Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 September 2011.

Visit this page for more information about prices, access and other practical information.

Call for artists: XVII Galeria Aberta, Beja 2011

The registration for the XVII Galeria Aberta is now open to all artists working in any medium.

Artists are welcome to submit a recently completed work, bi or tridemensional, including installations and other forms of art representation such as hybrids or mixed media, as long as fit for visualization by all audiences.
The artwork must be ready for presentation and the artist must be available if needed for eventual assembly.
Each artist can only participate with one piece.

The registration form should be submited before the deadline to escudeiros.galeriamunicipal@cm-beja.pt, with an image file of your work in 300 dpi and 10,5x15cm format.

Works must be signed and identified in the back with the author's name, the title of the work, its dimensions, technique and year of completion.
Artists must send the artwork accompanied by the registration form together with a 300 dpi and 10,5x15cm format image file in digital support.

Entrants must use reusable packing when feasible and send the artwork to Museu Jorge Vieira - Rua do Touro, 33 - 7800-689 Beja, Portugal (Tue-Sat 10h00-12h30 14h00-18h00; Sun 14h00-18h00).
Other places that will accept works will eventually be announced.
Pieces with more than 1,5sqm (canvases, drawings,photos) and over 1m³ (sculptures) must be delivered and picked-up by the artist or representative.

Deadline for delivery is 10 October 2011 (previously 16 September 2011, but was extended). The bookstore Círculo das Letras, in Lisbon, is accepting the works.

Three prizes will be awarded and respective artworks acquired:
1600€ and an individual exhibition
800€ and an individual exhbition
400€ and an individual exhibition

Honourable mentions will also be attributed to selected works.

All artworks must stay during the exhbition and be picked-up until 20 days after its end, after which may revert to the City Hall of Beja.

The XVII Galeria Aberta is an art exhibition/contest promoted by the City Hall of Beja in partnership with the Escudeiros Gallery (Galeria dos Escudeiros).
It has in its main purpose to encourage the artistic and cultural development of the region and its inhabitants.

The exhbition will take place between the 12th November and 30th December 2011 at Galeria dos Escudeiros, Castelo-Casa do Governador and Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Beja.

For more information call: (351) 284 311 920.

Cerveira Biennial 2011

The 16th edition of the Cerveira Biennial (Bienal de Cerveira) takes place between July 16 and September 17, 2011 in the North of Portugal, more precisely in Vila Nova de Cerveira.
Established in 1978, it's one of the most important artistic events in Portugal.

The programme includes selected works by artists who entered the Cerveira Biennial's International Contest, guest artists, a tribute to the portuguese sculptor José Rodrigues and an exhibit of his work, 6 curatorial projects, performances, artistic residencies in the form of ateliers/workshops, and debates with the intervention of artists, curators and directors of other international biennials.
Included in the agenda are also guided visits to the exhibitions, creative industries, films, documentaries, concerts and other activities.

With the objective of bringing art to a larger public, the 16th edition expands to the city of Oporto and to Vigo in the Galiza region, Northwest of Spain, near the Portuguese border.

This year's edition of the Cerveira Biennial (Bienal de Cerveira) happens under the theme "Redes 2011" (Networks 2011) and seeks to promote the establishement of dialogues with other international biennials, with the purpose of providing means that will allow worldwide artists and other creative people to develope their work, be it in their country or in a foreign one.

Artists will be offered working conditions, investigation opportunities and facilities for the presentation of their works.
They will also be able to attend panel discussions and debates with artists from several countries on different areas of artistic expression.

For contact information and directions click here.