The 2010 DeCordova Biennial in Lincoln, Mass.
Survey of New England Artists Jan.23 to April 11
By: Charles Giuliano - Dec 23, 2009
The 2010 DeCordova Biennial
The DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park
Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln Mass.
January 23 – April 11, 2010
Exhibition Opening: Thursday, January 28 from 7 – 9 pm
There have been significant and welcome changes at the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln, Mass. The mandate of the museum is to focus on the modern and contemporary art of New England. With its generous grounds overlooking Sandy Pond it has long been known for site specific sculptures generally on extended loan from the participating artists.
Under the watch of Paul Master-Karnik, the director for 22 years, the museum underwent much needed renovation and a modest expansion. The DeCordova accomplished much under Master-Karnik and his curatorial team of Rachel Lafo and Nick Capasso. But the entrenched director and curators were widely viewed by critics as conservative and even provincial.
The focus on the geography of the North Eastern United States also implied the lack of a wider vision. The curators seemed to not particularly concern themselves with what was happening in contemporary art on a national and global level. This was often reflected in their seemingly limited vision when assembling the much anticipated, but generally disappointing, annual surveys. One tended not to trust curators with a journeyman's approach to contemporary art. The resultant shows were hit and miss and often ripe fodder for slice and dice reviews.
Their ambitious overviews of painting and photography were scholarly and resulted in useful catalogues. But the decisions of artists to be included, or not, was annoyingly arbitrary. Important and influential artists were eliminated from this crucial history while more peripheral ones were featured prominently. Since they were the only arts organization undertaking this vital research the flawed result was all the more significant.
This is emphasized by the egregious and anything but benign neglect of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Their surveys of artists in Boston generally have done a thorough job from Smibert and Copley in the Colonial era through the ersatz Brahmin impressionists in the 1920s. The MFA lost interest in Boston artists when, from the 1930s through the 1960s, the dominant artists were the Jewish immigrants, Karl Zerbe, Hyman Bloom, and the Boston born, Jack Levine. One of Master-Karnik's first shows was a survey of Boston Expressionism and its influences. On every level, from the selection of artists to the catalogue, it was a botched job.
The MFA continues to ignore the contemporary artists of its city and region. .There is the curiosity of the Maud Morgan Award a prize for a mid career female artist. It is a modest purchase award and a single work is acquired. It comes with a small show, generally in the lower rotunda. Since this is the only regular acquisition, by definition, men are excluded from consideration. With the soon to be opened expansion and a new curator we will watch to see if there are significant changes.
One interesting development is that under director, Katherine French, the Danforth Museum in Framingham has taken up the cause of figurative painting in Boston. A show of work by Hyman Bloom, who passed away recently, traveled to Yeshiva University where it remains on view. The museum is currently showing three generations in the tradition of Boston Expressionism: David Aronson, who taught Henry Schwartz, who influenced Gerry Bergstein.
The Annuals of the former DeCordova team focused on emerging artists from the region. Some of them were mid career artists having their first museum level exhibitions. The format for the soon to open survey has made significant changes. The press release that follows provides details.
Most significantly artists who have iconic status in the history of the region have been added to the mix. It is thrilling to learn that Otto Piene, for many years the director of the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at MIT, is included. Also, Paul Laffoley, who has generally been ignored by regional galleries and museums (there was a large Addison Gallery show more than 20 years ago) will be shown. Laffoley is regarded by experts as one of the foremost Visionary artists of his generation.
There is the old truism that the last to recognize artists are their neighbors. Piene has been included in countless exhibitions mostly focused on the Zero Movement. We reported on a New York Zero exhibition last year which drew rave reviews from New York critics. Several years ago I worked with Laffoley for an exhibition at the New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University. I was astonished when Paul told me it was his first Boston show in 20 years; since Stux Gallery closed and moved to New York. He shows with Kent Gallery in New York but has no Boston based dealer. Recently Kent showed his work from the 1960s.
Of the artists in the show William Pope L., who represents Maine, is widely known and exhibited. He will create a residence and performance work as his project for this Biennial. We have also followed the work of the conceptual artist, Liz Nofzinger, who was often included in projects by the curator James Manning.
Given that there is a solid core of established artists promises to provide the heft and gravitas to make this an outstanding exhibition. Hopefully, it will serve as a signifier of reorganization and focus of an important museum program in desperate need of change.
What follows is the museum's press release.
The DeCordova Sculpture Park + Museum announces the first-ever presentation of The DeCordova Biennial of New England artists. This exhibition, opening on January 23, vernissage on January 28, from 7 to 9 PM, offers a number of firsts.
- The first time the exhibition has taken over the whole museum;
- The first time the exhibition, a descendant of the 20-year history of DeCordova
Annual exhibitions, has been curated by a single curator (Dina Deitsch); - The Biennial includes the most artists, seventeen, ever curated into an exhibition in the series;
- The first time an artist will live in the Museum as part of a performance;
- The first use of a blue-ribbon Advisory Curatorial Panel to help inform the selection
process and ensure a wider variety of voices in the curatorial process;
- The first time the exhibition has included both emerging, mid-career, and late career/
historic artists from the region.|
The 2010 DeCordova Biennial is a survey exhibition, focused on the quality and variety of work rather than any single or overarching theme. The exhibition highlights artists from across New England who work in a range of media, including innovative performance pieces, video installations, sculpture, painting, and photography.
The following New England artists will be featured in The 2010 DeCordova Biennial: Greta Bank, ME; Ross Cisneros, NH; Georgie Friedman, MA; Paul Laffoley, MA; Philip Lique, CT; Xander Marro, RI; Christopher Mir, CT; Liz Nofziger, MA; Oscar Palacio, MA; Otto Piene, MA; William Pope.L, ME; Randy Regier, ME; Ward Shelley, CT; Laurel Sparks, MA; Mark Tribe, RI; August Ventimiglia, MA; Karin Weiner, ME.
Organized by Assistant Curator Dina Deitsch, this exhibition will be accompanied by an exhibition catalogue. The 2010 DeCordova Biennial has been funded by the Deborah A. Hawkins Charitable Trust.
The Biennial is a revised presentation of The DeCordova Annual Exhibitions which the Museum began organizing in 1989 as a showcase for art from the New England region. In addition to shifting to a two-year cycle, the new Biennial—curated by DeCordova Assistant Curator Dina Deitsch—involved a first-ever Advisory Board which included Mark Bessire, Director, Portland Museum of Art; George Fifield, Director, Boston CyberArts Festival; and Jennifer Gross, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Yale University Art Gallery.
"With The 2010 DeCordova Biennial, DeCordova continues to express its commitment to regional artists, but has dramatically sharpened its focus with an emphasis on quality. The Biennial allows more variety and a much broader spectrum of artists" said Director Dennis Kois. "The goal of The 2010 DeCordova Biennial is to provide a snapshot of the broad range of art practices that are currently happening in New England, while being mindful of certain traditions that feed those very practices" said Assistant Curator Dina Deitsch. "Therefore, this exhibition includes both new and older work, emerging and more established artists, to better reflect the complexities and intricacies of this region's rich artistic terrain."