2022 Bermuda Biennial Opens

Photographs by Brandon Morrison. Courtesy of Bermuda National Gallery.

2022 Bermuda Biennial
A New Vocabulary: Past. Present. Future.
June 11, 2022 – December 31, 2022
https://bng.bm/exhibition/2022-bermuda-biennial

The Bermuda National Gallery has been named Best Museum in the 2022 Best of Bermuda Awards as the 2022 Bermuda Biennial opens at the gallery. The exhibition marks the 15th iteration of the gallery’s flagship exhibition, which has been generously sponsored by Bacardi since 1996. As a member of the International Biennial Association, the Bermuda Biennial provides a unique cultural cornerstone for Bermuda and gives local artists the opportunity to have their work seen by professionals from prominent international art institutions.

This year’s Biennial was juried by Claire Gilman, Chief Curator at The Drawing Center in New York and Alexandria Smith, Head of Painting at the Royal College of Art in London. Richard Georges, the first Poet Laureate of the British Virgin Islands and the Department of Culture’s 2022 Writer in Residence, was the juror for the poetry component, which was included in the exhibition for the first time in celebration of BNG’s 30th anniversary.

The theme for 2022 is A NEW VOCABULARY: PAST. PRESENT. FUTURE. which asked artists to reflect on the past two years and to imagine what the future might hold. Over 100 submissions were received, and 32 visual artists were chosen to participate, alongside 11 poets.

A number of artists exhibiting are new to the Biennial, including Judith Aidoo-Saltus, Alex Allardyce, Brackish Pond Collective, Seth de Roulet, Sabriyya Harvey, Cheryl Hastings, Liana Nanang, AB Wilson and Jahbarri A. Wilson alongside the selected poets whose work is also displayed in the gallery for the first time.

The artworks on display are wide-ranging and include drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture, to animation, performance and installation. There are also two public artworks located outside the gallery, including an installation by Jacqueline Alma on the East Lawn of City Hall & Arts Centre. This will be joined by a piece by Antoine Hunt which will begin installation soon.

Peter Lapsley, Executive Director of the Bermuda National Gallery said:  “The Best Museum award win is such an honour, and it is a reflection of the dedication and effort that the team here at BNG have put into our exhibitions, programmes and events. A big thank you to our artists, members and supporters for being engaged and involved, it makes a difference and it makes it all worthwhile, and thank you to the community for seeing the value in what BNG does.

With that in mind, I would encourage you to come out and see our exhibitions currently on display. The Bermuda Biennial recently opened to a crowd of over 200 people with the great support and sponsorship of Bacardi Limited. The exhibition is very strong and we have some familiar faces in artists such as Charles Zuill and Jonah Jones, but also some artists new to BNG such as Sabriyya Harvey and Jahbarri Wilson. There is a tremendous range of work, and with the inclusion of poetry this year it has a depth of artistic exploration that epitomizes what the Biennial is all about.”

Douglas Mello, Managing Director of Bacardi Bermuda added: “For seven generations, Bacardi has long regarded art as an integral part of our culture and company’s DNA. Today, 160 years since our establishment in Santiago de Cuba, 1862, Bacardi and its employees around the world are enriched by the partnerships that strengthen the connection with the communities in which we live and work. Since 1996, Bacardi has been proud to play a part in supporting the Bermuda Biennial and the vision of the Bermuda National Gallery with this world-class event. We are honored to continue the tradition this year on the island our company has called home for more than 50 years.

On behalf of Bacardi Limited, I extend congratulations to the organizers of the Bermuda Biennial on your continued vision to stimulate excellence in artistic expression through this well executed exhibition. To the distinguished international jurors, Claire Gilman, Alexandria Smith and Richard Georges, we extend thanks for taking time to jury this exhibition. Your expertise provides a perspective which helps our local artist community to grow and develop. To the artists and poets who submitted work to the exhibition, may you find both inspiration and a new sense of artistic direction through your dedication to your artistic practice.”