BIENNIAL SYNOPSIS:
The inaugural Cayman Islands Biennial, which was launched in 2019, was a multi-site tri-island art project developed by the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands and featuring fifty local artists. In April 2021, the second iteration will once again present the latest developments within the Caymanian contemporary art scene, assembling an assortment of the strongest work in a variety of media from artists across the Cayman Islands and the Caymanian diaspora.
Organized under the title ‘Reimagined Futures’, the curatorial team invites artists to respond to the monumental upheavals that have taken place in 2020 — the worldwide impact of the coronavirus pandemic, ongoing environmental challenges, and the social justice movements — that will shape the course of our collective future in both the short and long term. Seeking to adopt a more affirmative vision of the world we are now inhabiting, the guiding theme for this biennial is intended to recast the long months of lockdown as an extended interlude — an opportunity for all of us to pause and reflect on where we are now and where we are heading. The thematic approach to this year’s iteration is designed to encourage artists and audiences to engage with topical subject matter and participate in the contemporary discourse that is shaping the broader global community in which we live.
Submissions should address or engage in some way with the theme and subject matter of this exhibition synopsis, including (but not limited to) the following:
- Sustainability, climate change, and related environmental stewardship, both locally and globally;
- Social inclusion and social justice movements;
- Health, wellness, and healing in the context of the post-coronavirus pandemic moment;
- The positioning of heritage and tradition within the contemporary Caymanian context; and
- Any other interpretation or aspect of the theme of ‘Reimagined Futures’
Contemporary work in a wide variety of media will be considered, from painting and sculpture to artists working in related fields and practices, such as digital media and video art, sound art, site-specific installation (at NGCI or an alternative space), architectural interventions and public art, as well as fine craft, performance, poetry/spoken word, contemporary dance, and community programming.
Selected artwork will feature in a four-month-long exhibition at the National Gallery, with concurrent projects at select venues in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. In addition, one exhibiting artist will be awarded the Juror’s Selection Award with a significant monetary prize and the opportunity to develop a solo exhibition with the National Gallery. The exhibition will also feature an Emerging Artist award, for artists 30 years of age or younger, with a monetary grant towards a residency programme or training opportunity.
SUBMISSION PROCESS:
This exhibition is open to residents in the Cayman Islands or artists of the Caymanian diaspora. Artists are invited to submit photos of work (or work concept drawings/photos), with an accompanying artist’s statement relating the work to the exhibition synopsis. This should be provided in electronic format only and directed to the attention of the curator at assistantcurator@nationalgallery.org.ky by Friday, 05 February. A maximum of three works per artists will be considered. Submissions must be accompanied by*:
- Artist biography (200 words max) and headshot
- High-resolution image of the proposed work (of a quality that can be reproduced in catalogue format)
- Artist Statement/Artwork information (title, date, medium, size, and a description of 250 words or less)
- Any special installation instructions
- Link to your website if applicable
[*NGCI curatorial staff are available to assist you with the development of the above material as required.]
This is a juried exhibition project. All complete submissions received by the above deadline will be reviewed and considered by the National Exhibition Committee comprised of three local and two international guest jurors. Successful applicants will be notified by email no later than Monday, 15 February 2021. Final artwork needs to be delivered to the NGCI site on or before Wednesday, 31 March 2021. The exhibition will run from Friday, 09 April until 31 July 2021.
For more information email assistantcurator@nationalgallery.org.ky