Book Description

Innovative and diverse artworks by artists from across the country and beyond are featured in this fourth edition of the Canadian Biennial. Richly illustrated with dozens of colour plates, the publication provides individual presentations on each artist as well as a comprehensive scholarly text. The author looks at the dynamic ways in which artists engage with the increasingly globalized world of contemporary art through a wide range of media including painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, printmaking, video and installation-based practices. Migration, the impact and interpretation of history and belief systems on contemporary art and culture, stereotypes of identity and nationhood, and the emancipatory potential of the imagination and creativity, are some of the themes and subjects addressed in a Biennial that reflects the Gallery¿s pursuits in building an outstanding and pertinent collection of art today. Jonathan Shaughnessy is Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at the National Gallery of Canada. In English and French. Participating artists: Barry Ace, John Akomfrah, Benoit Aquin, Shuvinai Ashoona, BGL, Valérie Blass, Shannon Bool, Shary Boyle, Mark Bradford, Anthony Burnham, Nick Cave, Patrick Coutu, Chris Curreri, Beau Dick, Stan Douglas, Jessica Eaton, Latifa Echakhch, Tracey Emin, Cynthia Girard-Renard, Andreas Gursky, Thomas Houseago, Christian Jankowski, Brian Jungen, Shelagh Keeley, Ruben Komangapik, Jonathan Lasker, lessLIE, Maya Lin, Elaine Ling, Angela Marston, Kent Monkman, Wangechi Mutu, Nadia Myre, Chris Ofili, Jamasee Padluq Pitseolak, Susan Point, Mika Rottenberg, Collier Schorr, Ursula Schulz-Dornburg, Wael Shawky, Steven Shearer, Taryn Simon, Kiki Smith, Monika Sosnowska, Zin Taylor, Mickalene Thomas, Wolfgang Tillmans, Jutai Toonoo, Renée Van Halm, Waheed, Daniel Young and Christian Groulx.