Bonavista Biennale 2019 preparing for month-long art event this summer
BONAVISTA, N.L. —
This summer creativity, heritage and culture combine once again in an artful way.
Bonavista Biennale: FLOE brings art-lovers into the heart of the northeast Atlantic coastline, presenting an exhibition of contemporary artworks by leading Canadian, Indigenous, and international artists in outport communities across the Bonavista Peninsula.
The month-long event happens every two years, and FLOE brings the perspectives of 20 different artists together for a multi-site art experience that allows for visitor engagement with the spectacular coastal landscape.
A downloadable exhibition map will guide viewers through a 100-kilometre loop on the Bonavista Peninsula, allowing everyone to plan their own creative journey to view the sites. Visitors are encouraged to plan at least two full days to take in the exhibition, explore communities, and local attractions.
Three notable artists to watch at Bonavista Biennale: FLOE include: Jordan Bennett (2018 Sobey Art Award shortlist), Meagan Musseau (2018 Hnatyshyn Foundation Emerging Atlantic Artist and Emerging Artist of the Year by Visual Arts Newfoundland), and Wanda Koop (Member of the Order of Canada).
“Geodesic, geological, aquatic and structural are terms that describe some of the artworks in Bonavista Biennale 2019. Nomad, Afronaut, cheerleader and storyteller describe the artists behind the work,” said Bonavista Biennale artistic director and curator Catherine Beaudette. “This year’s show promises to be a stimulating floe of ideas.”
Newfoundland, while geographically isolated, marks a significant space of cultural exchange because of its location on migratory and trade routes. Ktaqmkuk, the Mi’kmaq word for Newfoundland, is traditional unceded Mi’kmaw territory that became part of the routes connecting North America to Europe. The sites of the Biennale trace this passage, and present artworks that resonate with distinct qualities of place.
FLOE (re)considers the history of exchange, while acknowledging the histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit of the province.
The curators of Bonavista Biennale: FLOE are Beaudette (2 Rooms Contemporary Art Projects), David Diviney (Art Gallery of Nova Scotia), and Matthew Hills (Grenfell Art Gallery, Memorial University of Newfoundland).
The 2017 exhibition included over 150 works by 26 different artists, with more than 20 communities and organizations partnering as site and event hosts. Selected as one of Canadian Art’s “20 Shows We Want To See in 2017”, the Biennale won Hospitality Newfoundland’s Cultural Tourism Award for 2017 and advanced the Peninsula’s reputation as a leading international cultural destination.
Bonavista Biennale: FLOE dates and locations
• Free to attend • Saturday, Aug. 17 – Sunday, Sept. 15
• Bonavista Peninsula, N.L.
• Exhibition sites are located in outport communities: Duntara, King’s Cove, Knight’s Cove, Bonavista, Elliston, Port Union, Catalina, Champney’s West, Port Rexton, Trinity
Participating Artists
Jordan Bennett- Ktaqamkuk (Newfoundland and Labrador)
Bob Blumer- USA
Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons- Cuba/USA
Ian Carr-Harris Yvonne Lammerich- Ontario
Kym Greeley- Newfoundland and Labrador
Robert Hengeveld- Newfoundland and Labrador
Anna Hepler- USA
Jason Holley- Newfoundland and Labrador
Thaddeus Holownia- New Brunswick
Barb Hunt- Manitoba
Mark Igloliorte- Nunatsiavut (NL)
Wanda Koop- Manitoba
Meagan Musseau- Ktaqamkuk (NL)
Sean Patrick O’Brien- USA
Paulette Phillips- Nova Scotia
Meghan Price- Ontario
Jerry Ropson- Newfoundland and Labrador
Camille Turner- Ontario
D’Arcy Wilson- Atlantic Canada
