During this Biennale, the installation by the GAO Brothers, Miss Mao Trying to Poise herself WELCOME to the 2009 – 2011 at the top of Lenin's head, created a media and Internet frenzy, garnering thirty-one days Vancouver Biennale, the ‘World’s Open Air Museum’. of consecutive news coverage worldwide. The debate between politics and the rights We are unique among biennales in that our exhibitions are largely self-funded, freely of artistic freedom of expression was inspiring and a critical reminder about the impact accessible to the public and extend over two-years every two-years. With the emphasis and necessity of art in the public domain. This enlivened public debate is a critical on engagement, education and diversity, we celebrate the experience of art by situating dimension and is part of what art-making is all about, to inspire, engage and sometimes museum quality artworks in public spaces where people gather to work, play, transit and enrage! Minimally it is to stimulate, to interrupt our everyday movements and to, if only for live, turning public space into an open air museum. a moment, divert our thinking. Since our inaugural exhibition in 2005, the meaning of ‘public’ has been redefined by social There are many backroom stories that make up the Biennale and many unsung heroes that networking. Like no other time in history, being ‘public’ means being instantly subject have made this exhibition possible. We exist because of the dedication, commitment and to global public discourse. In an era of Flickr, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, there is rarely passionate support of the Board, Ambassadors, advisors, public relations teams, politicians a moment that an opinion is not proffered and shared with the multitudes. But that’s what and friends of the Biennale who freely gave up their time, energy and resources to help us the Vancouver Biennale is all about – public interaction, dialogue and a sharing of experience. realize our vision of the ‘Open Air Museum’. These are the real champions that bring great Indeed, we went viral and wish to thank those who shared their raves and rants, photos art to public spaces for everyone to enjoy. and films with friends and followers. This catalogue serves many purposes. It is a publication that honours the participants and The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics brought the Biennale record numbers of visitors from their place in Contemporary Art history, it is an auction and sales guide for international art around the world and international visibility through unprecedented media coverage. collectors, and a beautiful book for those who want to experience and re-experience the The games also brought a twist of fate when six of our installation locations in Vancouver magnificence of our cities’ public spaces. We hope it to be a gift of thanks to our biggest became designated Olympic sites. Mounting an exhibition of this size has its challenges, supporters - the artists, the community of visitors, sponsors and the collectors. With our particularly given our dependence on public space and the multiple jurisdictions that govern second Vancouver Biennale coming to a close, we have learned much. By being alert to the that space. The crisis in fact provided an opportunity to expand our exhibition’s footprint evolving economic times, technology, cultural and political shifts, we are a centre for cultural to the neighbouring City of Richmond. Richmond’s participation included installations at dialogue and exchange. Public space itself is changing, as the definition of what is ‘public Vancouver International Airport, the Aberdeen Shopping Centre, along the new rapid transit space’ evolves and the ‘real’ interchanges with the ‘virtual’. 290 West 3rd Ave Canada Line, and indoor exhibitions at the Richmond Art Gallery. Since then, the City of Port We hope you join us in that exploration. Vancouver BC V5Y 1G1 Moody and the Surrey Art Gallery have also partnered on Biennale projects to give their Tel: +1 (604) 682 1289 communities a new public art experience. Barrie Mowatt, info @ vancouverbiennale.com President /Founder www.vancouverbiennale.com CONTINUES ON BACK FLAP 1 WELCOME to the 2009 – 2011 Vancouver Biennale, the ‘World’s Open Air Museum’. We are unique among biennales in that our exhibitions are largely self-funded, freely accessible to the public and extend over two-years every two-years. With the emphasis on engagement, education and diversity, we celebrate the experience of art by situating museum quality artworks in public spaces where people gather to work, play, transit and live, turning public space into an open air museum. Since our inaugural exhibition in 2005, the meaning of ‘public’ has been redefined by social networking. Like no other time in history, being ‘public’ means being instantly subject to global public discourse. In an era of Flickr, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, there is rarely the Vancouver Biennale is all about – public interaction, dialogue and a sharing of experience. Indeed, we went viral and wish to thank those who shared their raves and rants, photos and films with friends and followers. The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics brought the Biennale record numbers of visitors from around the world and international visibility through unprecedented media coverage. The games also brought a twist of fate when six of our installation locations in Vancouver became designated Olympic sites. Mounting an exhibition of this size has its challenges, particularly given our dependence on public space and the multiple jurisdictions that govern that space. The crisis in fact provided an opportunity to expand our exhibition’s footprint to the neighbouring City of Richmond. Richmond’s participation included installations at Vancouver International Airport, the Aberdeen Shopping Centre, along the new rapid transit Canada Line, and indoor exhibitions at the Richmond Art Gallery. Since then, the City of Port Moody and the Surrey Art Gallery have also partnered on Biennale projects to give their AUCTION CONDUCTED BY communities a new public art experience. CONTINUES ON BACK FLAP Table of Contents MAP No. ARTIST SCULPTURE PAGE MAP No. ARTIST SCULPTURE PAGE Credits Welcome by: Vancouver Map 4 27 Ren Jun Water #10 60 Barrie Mowatt Richmond Map 6 28 The Gao Brothers Miss Mao Trying To Poise Herself 62 At The Top Of Lenin’s Head Edited by: 01 Michel Goulet Echoes 8 Barrie Mowatt 02 Michael Zheng The Stop 10 29 Patrick Hughes Doors of Knowledge 64 Sarah Creedon 30 Dennis Oppenheim Arriving Home 66 Gillian Wood 03 Ren Jun Freezing Water #7 12 Miriam Blume 04 Jaume Plensa WE, 2008 14 31 Toni Latour Homage to Parenthoood 68 Carys Lake-Edwards 05 Bernar Venet 217.5 Arcs x 13 16 32 Kelly Mark Hold that Thought 70 Catalogue design by: 06 Dennis Oppenheim Engagement 18 33 Marie Khouri Le Banc 72 Brady Dahmer Design 07 Yue Minjun A-maze-ing Laughter 20 34 Shilpa Gupta National Highway , No.1 76 (En Route Srinagar to Gulmurgh) Photos by: 08 Magdalena Abakanowicz Walking Figures 22 35 Reena Saini Kallat Lunar Notes 78 Dan Fairchild 09 John Clement Jasper 24 Sarah Whitlam 36 TV Santhosh Living with a wound 80 Jennifer Ku 10 Yee Soo Kyung Ceramic Forms 26 37 Sudarshan Shetty Taj Mahal 82 Dylan Cosman 11 Wang Shugang The Meeting 28 38 Jiten Thukral & Sumir Tagra Keep Out of Reach 84 12 Sorel Etrog King and Queen 30 Photo editing: of Children (Tank) Brady Dahmer Design 13 Choi Tae Hoon Skin of Time 32 39 Hema Upadhyay Loco-Foco-Motto 86 14 Liu Jianhua Pillows 34 Printing by: 40 Ranbir Kaleka Crossings 88 15 Zhan Wang Artificial Rock #143 36 Cross Blue 41 AES+F Last Riot 90 16 Igor Mitoraj Eros Bendato Scrippolato 38 42 Jim Denevan Sand Drawings 92 Published by: 17 Joe Sola Joe Sola is (Not) Making Art 40 Vancouver International 43 Soren Dahlgaard The Dough Portraits 94 18 Vladas Vildžiūnas Barbora 42 Open Spaces Sculpture 44 Konstantin Dimopoulos The Blue Trees 96 Biennale & Vancouver 19 Michael Zheng The Stop 44 International Sculpture Opening Ceremony, 2009 98 Biennale/Biennale 20 Sudarshan Shetty History of Loss 46 Installation 100 Internationale de la 21 Sophie Ryder Minotaur and Hare 48 Sculpture de Vancouver Public Programming 104 22 Kaarina Kaikkonen Growing Connections 50 Education – VB Learn 106 23 SEBASTIAN Libra 52 BIKENNALE 108 24 Fletcher Benton Donut #7 54 Aberdeen Centre 110 25 Javier Marín Cabeza Vainilla, Cabeza Córdoba, 56 VanDusen Botanical Garden 111 Cabeza Chiapas Thank-you’s 114 26 Yvonne Domenge Olas de Viento (Wind Waves) 58 Sponsors 116 Stanley Park 10 Lost Lagoon Coal Harbour 11 City of 13 The Vancouver Biennale Vancouver Map Vancouver 12 Since 2005, the Vancouver Biennale has had the 14 W Pender St ECHOES PILLOws support of the Vancouver Park Board and the City of Denman St 01 14 07 Robson St W Georgia St Michel Goulet Liu Jianhua Vancouver in hosting international city-wide outdoor Sea Bus Kitsilano Beach Harbour Green Park Sunset Beach exhibitions. In the 2009 – 2011 Biennale, New Media & 09 02 THE STOP 15 ARTIFICIAL ROCK #143 Dunsmuir St Waterfront Michael Zheng Zhan Wang Performance events were added to the ever popular W Hastings St Vanier Park, Whyte Ave Vancouver City Centre & Chestnut St Canada-Line Station open-air museum sculpture installations along beaches, DOWNTOWN bike routes, parks, urban plazas and transit stations. 03 FREEZINGWater #7 16 EROS BendatO English Bay Davie St Ren Jun SCRIPPOlatO Expansion also included installations and exhibitions Vanier Park, Whyte Ave Igor Mitoraj 15 & Chestnut St Yaletown Park, Nelson St in the City of Richmond, Surrey and Port Moody.