Image: Museum of Wisconsin Art
Robert Osborne, Parking Garage in Downtown Fond du Lac
Robert Osborne, Parking Garage in Downtown Fond du Lac, 2021. Digital inkjet print of photograph.
Wisconsin artists once again share their artistic vision and skills in the Museum of Wisconsin Art’s 2022 Wisconsin Artists Biennial. On view Feb. 12–April 24 at MOWA’s West Bend facility, the exhibition will showcase the works of 52 state artists chosen from among nearly 450 entrants submitting 1,200 pieces of work to a competition co-sponsored by MOWA and Wisconsin Visual Artists, a nonprofit organization that supports the rights and work of the state’s individual artists.
“For decades, the Biennial has offered artists a competitive opportunity to have their work displayed in the company of their peers,” says Graeme Reid, MOWA’s director of exhibitions. “This exhibition gives the public an opportunity to see what’s happening in the contemporary arts scene within the state.”
Photo: Museum of Wisconsin Art
Luke W. Achterberg, Idyll
Luke W. Achterberg, Idyll, 2021. Automotive paint on stainless steel.
Milwaukee-area artists working in a variety of mediums make up nearly half of those whose work will be exhibited. The list includes: Hector Acuna, Cedarburg; Danielle Attoe, Milwaukee; Emily S. Belknap, Milwaukee; Lois Bielefeld, Glendale; Mauree Childress, Wauwatosa; Sandra Cipollone, Milwaukee; Amy A. Cropper, Waukesha; Patrick M. Doughman, Cedarburg; David Najib Kasir, Whitefish Bay; Fatima Laster, Milwaukee; Jose Morales, Milwaukee; Brendon Nacke, Milwaukee; Melissa Pare, Milwaukee; Nirmal Raja, Milwaukee; Janet Roberts, Brookfield; Trina May Smith, Milwaukee; Valerie Tatera, Milwaukee; Robert P. Ulrich, Milwaukee; Ariana Vaeth, Shorewood; Shane Walsh, Milwaukee; Michael Westcott, Milwaukee; Christopher T. Wood, Milwaukee; and Rina Yoon, Milwaukee.
Participating artists competed for a combined $10,000 in prizes, with the first-place winner receiving $5,000 and a solo 2024 MOWA exhibition.
“Given that so many artists entered so many works to be considered for the Biennial, being selected by three out-of-state judges is a huge vote of confidence and validation to the participants,” Reid adds.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
The Biennial opens with a party at MOWA on Saturday, Feb. 12 from 2–4 p.m. with remarks and an awards ceremony at 3 p.m. For more information on the exhibition, visit wisconsinart.org/exhibitions/2020-biennial.aspx.
