Atlanta Biennial

Atlanta Contemporary Art Center (Atlanta Contemporary) announces the 33 artists participating in the return of the Atlanta Biennial. With a roster of artists at varying points in their careers and with varying artistic practices–ATLBNL brings entirely new voices to the galleries by presenting not only the visual arts, but also book arts, film + video, fiber arts, literature, performance and music + sound.

Previous Biennials – regardless of locale, curator, artists, or even the name itself – trumpeted the idea that many exceptional and relevant contemporary artists call the South home. The 2016 Atlanta Biennial further upholds this truth. “This Biennial brings together four curators with distinct points of view and curatorial methodologies,” noted Veronica Kessenich, Executive Director at Atlanta Contemporary. “They found common ground in their combined interest to exhibit individuals and collectives who have never before participated in the Atlanta Biennial. While the participants represent 8 states from across the Southeast, they do not relegate themselves to any specific sense of geography or space rather, together, their work examines the current state of contemporary art and contemporary issues.”

ATLBNL endeavors to champion these artists and their work while simultaneously re-contextualizing Atlanta Contemporary’s commitment to our mission to engage the public in the creation, presentation, and advancement of contemporary art – on the local, national, and international level. The Atlanta Biennial presents an opportunity to deeply engage with our established arts community as well as the day-to-day visitor. It is our unified hope that by respecting what has come before, we can remain responsive to what’s next as we discover, recognize, and reaffirm the role the South plays in the field of contemporary art.