Going through my inbox today, I was disturbed to see that I forgot about an idea I had for a post a while back about the Biennale — the one in Norman, Oklahoma, not Venice.
This biennale was sponsored by the National Weather Center, along with the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma and the Norman Arts Council. It was called the National Weather Center Biennale, and asked artists for submissions in an attempt to show “art’s window on the impact of weather on the human experience.”
Some people may think this is a bad idea, as art ordered up isn’t always the best art. Art, in their view, isn’t supposed to do something. But no one minds when a novelist takes up the subject of climate change, as Ian McEwan did in Solar. Ordered up or not, though, art has to stand on its own. It can’t be given points for a making a point. If it works, it works.
The NWC Biennale was open to artists of any nationality over the age of 18 — see additional eligibility rules here. A jury of the sponsors whittled the 700-plus entries to the final 100 and then a jury of Christoph Heinrich, director of the Denver Art Museum, artist Spencer Finch and Jacqui Jeras, a meteorologist at WJLA-TV in Washington made the final call. They chose a Best in Show and winners in three categories of painting, photography and works on paper. Details here.
The winners’ entries were on view from Earth Day, April 22, through June 2 — which is what caused my self-annoyance. But better late than never, I guess.
You can see them here. I rather like the Biennale’s logo, posted here, above.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the NWC