The 2010 DeCordova Biennial

January 23, 2010 - April 11, 2010

The 2010 DeCordova Biennial exhibition is the newest iteration in DeCordova's long history of showcasing contemporary art in New England. Beginning with the Artists/Visions exhibitions in 1989, which became the long-running DeCordova Annual, the DeCordova has been committed to showcasing the works of regional artists for twenty years.

Now occurring every other year, The DeCordova Biennial provides a sample of New England's contemporary art scene, emphasizing the quality and vitality of the art being made in this region. Occupying almost every gallery, nook, and crevice of the Museum—from our elevator to the rooftop terrace—this Biennial is the largest the Museum has ever undertaken. The seventeen featured artists this year—selected from hundreds that were considered—work across media and also span generations, acknowledging the rich and often overlooked history of our local producers.

While the show is not organized around a theme, there are some commonalities that emerge. Following the intergenerational make-up of the exhibition, time emerges as a prominent theme—either referring to the temporality of process or in the form of history as a cultural construction. Other artists address issues of politics and power, whether imaged in protest or in architecture. The built environment lurks in a number of sculptural installations and videos as emblematic of our recent economic crash and stand-ins for human culture, as other artists address the natural environment and our increasingly complex relationship to it. A maximalist, or complex visual aesthetic, seems to loom large over much of the painting and installation on view, although quiet nods to art's minimalist past appear throughout the galleries.

These are just a few of the threads that weave in and out of this exhibition, and many more will emerge over the course of the exhibition. It is the goal of this Biennial to showcase just a sliver of the talent, vision, and variety one can find in New England today.

The 2010 DeCordova Biennial was organized by Assistant Curator Dina Deitsch, with the assistance of an Advisory Board:

Mark Bessire, Director, Portland Museum of Art
George Fifield, Director, Boston CyberArts Festival
Jennifer Gross, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Yale University Art Gallery

The 2010 DeCordova Biennial has been funded by the Deborah A. Hawkins Charitable Trust.

  • Title

    Greta Bank

    Stumpy, 2008
    wood, foam, epoxy, sparkle flake, paint
    48" x 39" x 40"

    Courtesy of Lisa Pixley and Christopher Campbell
  • Title

    Ross Cisneros

    Ice and Ark, 2009
    plastic water bottles, water, fishing net, video
    dimensions variable

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Georgie Friedman

    Dark Swell, 2009-10
    multi-channel video installation, fabric and steel structure
    108" x 192" x 138"

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Paul Laffoley

    The Tree of Sephiroth, 1998-99
    mixed media on rag board, eleven parts
    30" x 30" each

    Courtesy of the Artist and Kent Gallery, New York.
  • Title

    Paul Laffoley

    The Tree of Sephiroth, 1998-99
    mixed media on rag board, eleven parts
    30" x 30" each

    Courtesy of the Artist and Kent Gallery, New York.
  • Title

    Paul Laffoley

    The Tree of Sephiroth, 1998-99
    mixed media on rag board, eleven parts
    30" x 30" each

    Courtesy of the Artist and Kent Gallery, New York.
  • Title

    Paul Laffoley

    The Tree of Sephiroth, 1998-99
    mixed media on rag board, eleven parts
    30" x 30" each

    Courtesy of the Artist and Kent Gallery, New York.
  • Title

    Paul Laffoley

    The Tree of Sephiroth, 1998-99
    mixed media on rag board, eleven parts
    30" x 30" each

    Courtesy of the Artist and Kent Gallery, New York.
  • Title

    Phil Lique

    Pig: raised to consume, 2007
    wood, sheetrock, plastic fence, hardware, resin
    32" x 20" x 16"

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Phil Lique

    Shark: American Dream, 2008
    plywood, lumber, shingles, insulation, joint compound, plastic fence, canvas, Fiberglas, hardware
    9' x 4' x 3'

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Xander Marro

    Time's Mercenary Army, 2009
    character study for the Map of Yonder,
    screenprint on paper and fabric

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Christopher Mir

    Perfect From Now On, II, 2009
    acrylic on canvas
    55" x 67"

    Courtesy the Artist and Galeria Senda, Barcelona, Spain
  • Title

    Christopher Mir

    Stop 44, 2009
    acrylic on canvas
    40" x 47"

    Courtesy the Artist and Galeria Senda, Barcelona, Spain
  • Title

    Liz Nofziger

    feedback (stair), 2010
    drywall, paint, HO scale train-set figurines
    dimensions variable

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Liz Nofziger

    feedback (stair), 2010
    drywall, paint, HO scale train-set figurines
    dimensions variable

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Oscar Palacio

    Manzanar Entrance, CA, 2008
    archival pigment print
    42" x 51"

    Courtesy of the Artist and Howard Yezerski Gallery, Boston, MA
  • Title

    Oscar Palacio

    Manzanar Observation Tower, CA, 2008
    archival pigment print
    42" x 51"

    Courtesy of the Artist and Howard Yezerski Gallery, Boston, MA
  • Title

    Otto Piene

    Manned Helium Sculpture, from the Sky Art Portfolio, 1969
    lithograph 10/20
    35" x 20"

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Otto Piene

    Imagine A City Below by Night, from the Sky Art Portfolio, 1969
    lithograph 10/20
    35" x 20"

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Otto Piene

    Fleurs du Mal, 1969
    various materials
    6' x 1'

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    William Pope.L

    Small Cup, 2008
    (still) video
    12:52 min.

    Courtesy of Pope.L and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York, NY
  • Title

    Randy Regier

    Spacecraft, 2009
    installation with spacecraft and related ephemera, various materials
    11' x 6.25' x 6.25'

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Ward Shelley

    Andy Warhol-Chelsea Girls, ver. 1 , 2008
    oil color and toner on polyester (mylar)
    23" x 36"

    Courtesy of the Artist and Pierogi Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
  • Title

    Laurel Sparks

    Archangel, 2008
    acrylic, silver enamel, marble dust, glitter, paper mache, small objects, feathers, marker, pigment, unpainted canvas
    48" x 55"

    Courtesy of the Artist and Howard Yezerski Gallery, Boston, MA
  • Title

    Mark Tribe

    Dystopia Files, 2010
    video installation (still)

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • August Ventimiglia

    August Ventimiglia

    Graduation, 2007
    chalk sticks, chalk dust, wood
    3.5" x 4.5" x 3.5",

    Courtesy of the Artist
  • Title

    Karin Weiner

    Sink or Swim, 2007
    collage
    38.25" x 50"

    Courtesy of the Artist and Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
Featured Artists:
Greta Bank
Ross Cisneros
Georgie Friedman
Paul Laffoley
Philip Lique
Xander Marro
Christopher Mir
Liz Nofziger
Oscar Palacio 		Otto Piene
William Pope.L
Randy Regier
Ward Shelley
Laurel Sparks
Mark Tribe
August Ventimiglia
Karin Weiner

Public Programs

SPECIAL EVENT
DeCordova at the Coolidge!
Monday, March 29, 7 pm
$5 M / $10 NM
Come to the Coolidge Corner Theater for an off-site event with two of the artists from The 2010 DeCordova Biennial. Join Laurel Sparks, Xander Marro, and and Jeff Daniel Silva, co-founder and co-curator of the Balagan Experimental Film Series for an evening of art, art films, discussion, and Q&A. To purchase tickets, please visit http://www.coolidge.org/node/2610.

Opening Reception: Thursday, January 28, 7 – 9 pm; FREE

Artist Performance and Talk: William Pope.L
January 28, 7 pm
Free and open to the public

Join the self-proclaimed "friendliest black artist in America" for a special performance and talk during the opening reception for The 2010 DeCordova Biennial. William Pope.L will discuss his current and past work and do a paint-based performance as part of the programming for this exciting new exhibition. Space is limited, and admittance will be standing room only on a first-come, first-serve basis. An event not to be missed!

Artist Performance: Ward Shelley
Thursday, January 28 – Sunday, January 31
Friday, April 2 – Sunday, April 4
All day
Free with museum admission

Watch artist Ward Shelley's installation breathe life with these two live-in performances bookending The 2010 DeCordova Biennial. Shelley will literally live in the museum for four days at a time, and will be available for interaction with the general public during these periods.

Video Art and the Boston Area
Fred Barzyk, George Fifield and Otto Piene
Sunday, January 31, 1 pm
Free with museum admission

Join exhibiting video artist Otto Piene, former Director of WGBH's New Television Workshop Fred Barzyk, and electronic media expert and Boston Cyberarts Director George Fifield in an afternoon conversation about Boston's influential role in the medium of video art. Discussion will be followed by a brief Q&A period.

Artist Talks:
Saturdays at 3 pm (unless noted)
Free with museum admission

Come to DeCordova to meet the artists behind the artwork. Meet 11 of the artists from The 2010 DeCordova Biennial and take the opportunity to get the inside perspective on the artist's work, process, and creative inspirations. Talks begin at 3 pm in front of the artists' work, and will be followed by a brief Q & A period.

  • Oscar Palacio – January 30
  • Christopher Mir – February 6
  • Paul Laffoley – February 13
  • Randy Regier – February 20
  • Philip Lique – February 27
  • August Ventimiglia – March 13
  • Karin Weiner – March 20
  • Georgie Friedman – March 27
  • Laurel Sparks – April 3
  • Liz Nofziger – April 10

Curator Talk: Assistant Curator Dina Deitsch
Saturday, March 6, 3 pm
Free with museum admission

Eye Wonder Family Program

Sunday, February 7, 1-3 pm
Guest Artist: Liz Nofziger

Sunday, March 7, 1-3 pm
Guest Artist: Philip Lique

Sunday, April 11, 1-3 pm
Guest Artist: August Ventimiglia

Process Gallery
This winter, the Process Gallery is going Biennial! Come inside to learn about the creative processes behind many of the artists in The 2010 DeCordova Biennial. See how August Ventimiglia installed his snap-line drawing, play with materials samples of Randy Regier's realistic spaceship, and discover how Georgie Friedman planned out her video installation for our unique space.
Free with museum admission

Cell Phone Audio Tour
Bring your cell phone to DeCordova this winter and let the artists help you navigate your way through The 2010 DeCordova Biennial. Listen as artists explain the ideas and inspiration behind their work, share anecdotes and behind-the-scenes information, and learn about how this exhibition was curated.
Free with museum admission.

Family Activity Kit
Check out our Family Activity Kit at the front desk of the museum. The free kit includes art making materials and activities that focus on current exhibitions and is great for ages 5-12. This is a perfect way for families to engage in contemporary art together!