Vancouver Biennale in Squamish
Vancouver Biennale is a non-profit charitable organization that displays and celebrates art in public spaces. The 2014-2016 Vancouver Biennale in Squamish was a community-based initiative funded by many local businesses and organizations, including the District of Squamish.
Biennale [Bee-in-ah-lay] is the Italian word for bi-annual. The original Biennale art show was in Venice in 1895. Other notable Biennale’s are held in Paris, Berlin, New York, and throughout the world. The high-profile biennales attract representation from renowned international artists, with cultural tourists making specific efforts to travel and see the artworks associated with the shows. The Vancouver Biennale is the only outdoor biennale that includes neighbouring municipalities (for 2014: Richmond, New Westminster, City of North Vancouver and Surrey) and is 100% accessible by the public. With a strong emphasis on sculpture, the Vancouver Biennale has expanded to also offer a school program, as well as tourism-oriented activities like the Bikennale (non-profit charity fundraiser that bikes to the biennale artworks).
Squamish proudly welcomed three Biennale artists during the two-year initiative.
- In spring 2014, Brazilian artist Hugo Franca and his team visited our community and converted roots of local condemned trees into sculptures and benches for public use.
- In July 2014, Vik Muniz visited Squamish and completed his own creative contribution to the Biennale. Known for creating portraits of garbage pickers with the trash from which they eked out a living (captured in the documentary, Waste Land), Vik Muniz has salvaged lives. Learn more about Vik Muniz on his website or Artsy.net.
- Later in 2015, Konstantin Dimopoulos, an Australian artist famous for his environmental installations, will be bringing The Blue Trees project to Squamish.
In addition, Squamish hosted 11 residency artists from India, Syria, Bahrain, Mexico, USA, Australia, and Edmonton.
Residency Artworks in Squamish:
Artist: Tammam Azzam (b. 1979, Syria)
Location: Coast Mountain Academy at Quest University Canada
Artist: Kirstin McIver
Location: Downtown Squamish (Victoria Street at Loggers Lane)
Artist: Jonathan Luckhurst (b. 1979, Canada)
Location: Panorama Trail at the Sea to Sky Gondola
Artist: Chris Landau (b. 1978, USA) & Miguel Horn (b. 1983, USA)
Location: Squamish Adventure Centre
For more information on the Vancouver Biennale, artists and their installations, please visit the Vancouver Biennale Facebook page and the Vancouver Biennale website.
