Bellevue, WA—Bellevue Arts Museum is excited to announce that 49 artists have been selected to participate in the fourth edition of the Museum’s Biennial. BAM Biennial is a juried exhibition occurring every two years which focuses on the work of established and emerging Northwest artists, craftspeople, and designers living and working in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana, and British Columbia. For each edition, Bellevue Arts Museum designates a new focus of exploration, be it a specific medium, technique, process, or theme in art, craft, and design. This year’s biennial will focus on the medium of metal. The exhibition is titled BAM Biennial 2016: Metalmorphosis and will be on view from September 2, 2016 – late January, 2017.

The Museum received a record-breaking 330 applications for this year’s biennial. From this talented and vast pool of applicants, 49 artists were chosen to participate:

Rik Allen, WA
Ruth Beer, BC
Lanny Bergner, WA
Jana Brevick, WA
Julie Brooks, WA
John Buck, MT
Ben Buswell, OR
Deborah Butterfield, MT
Melissa Cameron, WA
Christine Clark, OR
Andy Cooperman, WA
Maria Cristalli, WA
Casey Curran, WA
Garri Dadyan, WA
Marita Dingus, WA
Andrew Fallat, WA
Chelsea Gaddy, WA
Aran Galligan, WA
Catherine Grisez, WA
Laurie J. Hall, OR
Bruno Hervieux, WA
Ron Ho, WA
Mary Lee Hu, WA
Lynne Hull, WA
David Keyes, WA
Bob Kramer, WA
Kirk Lang, WA
Cheryll Leo-Gwinn, WA
Philip Levine, WA
Keith Lewis, WA
Micki Lippe, WA
Susan Madacsi, ID
Chris McMullen, WA
Taiji Miyasaka and
David Drake, WA
Ries Niemi, WA
Allan Packer, WA
Ross Palmer Beecher,
WA
Beverly Petow, BC
Maria Phillips, WA
Peter Reiquam, WA
Lyndsay Rice, OR
Midori Saito, WA
Anika Smulovitz, ID
Julie Speidel, WA
Spencer Staley, OR
Nicky Statius, OR
Lori Talcott, WA
Kristin Tollefson, WA
Nancy Worden, WA

Proposals were reviewed by a panel of four esteemed jurors comprising Lloyd E. Herman, Founding Director and Director Emeritus, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Jennifer Navva Milliken, Curator of Craft, Bellevue Arts Museum in Bellevue, WA; Suzanne Ramljak, Editor of Metalsmith magazine and curator at the American Federation of Arts, New York, NY; and Cindi Strauss, Assistant Director, Programming and Curator for Modern and Contemporary Decorative Arts and Design, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX.

“Whether precious or prosaic, metal has captivated makers and thinkers alike for over 10,000 years, inviting thoughts on transformation and attempts to unlock the secrets of the physical and metaphysical realms” said Jennifer Navva Milliken, Curator of Craft. “The jury’s selection, drawn from an unprecedented number of proposals, is a testament to the creative potential of this elemental material and the powerful inspiration it continues to evoke in art, craft, and design.”

During the run of BAM Biennial 2016: Metalmorphosis, two cash prizes of $5,000 will be awarded, as well as the opportunity for one artist to hold a solo exhibition at BAM in the coming year. Building on the success of the Museum's previous biennials, BAM Biennial 2010: Clay Throwdown!, BAM Biennial 2012: High Fiber Diet, and BAM Biennial 2014: Knock on Wood, BAM Biennial 2016: Metalmorphosis is intended to recognize the innovative and extraordinary work being produced by contemporary Northwest makers and continue BAM's commitment to fostering Northwest artists and the region's distinctive character.

BAM Biennial 2016: Metalmorphosis is organized by Bellevue Arts Museum and curated by Jennifer Navva Milliken.

ABOUT BELLEVUE ARTS MUSEUM
Bellevue Arts Museum is a leading destination in the Pacific Northwest to experience art, craft, and design. BAM engages the community through exhibitions, programs, and publications, featuring regional, national, and international artists. bellevuearts.org.

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