TEXAS BIENNIAL
An independent survey of contemporary art in Texas.
Opening Fall 2024
IN PARTNERSHIP, BIG MEDIUM, THE BLAFFER ART MUSEUM WITH KADIST SAN FRANCISCO, AND DIVERSEWORKS ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE TEXAS BIENNIAL 2024 CURATORS AND OPEN CALL!
ERIKA MEI CHUA HOLUM, ASHLEY DEHOYOS SAUDER, AND COKA TREVIÑO WILL CO-CURATE THE 2024 TEXAS BIENNIAL THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE AND NON-HIERARCHICAL APPROACH. SELECTED THROUGH INVITATIONS AND AN OPEN CALL, ARTIST PROJECTS, WORKS, AND PROGRAMMING WILL BE FEATURED AT THE BLAFFER ART MUSEUM AND HOST VENUES IN HOUSTON AND THE TEXAS COAST.
The Texas Biennial is a geographically-led, independent survey of contemporary art in Texas. The program was founded in 2005 by Austin nonprofit Big Medium to provide an exhibition opportunity open to all artists living and working in the state. The eighth edition of this program will take place in 2024, making the Texas Biennial the longest-running state biennial in the country. Since its inception, the program has brought the work of over 300 artists to new audiences, springboarding many artists’ careers and underscoring the diversity of contemporary practice in Texas.
For Applicants Consideration
In its eighth edition, the 2024 Texas Biennial Open Call invites artists based in Texas or those with strong ties to the state to apply, regardless of their current location worldwide. Artists are encouraged to submit proposals for works or projects created between 2020 and 2024, aligning with the biennial and related programming themes.
Works selected through the Open call could be presented alongside projects in upcoming exhibitions River on Fire and Makeshift Memorials, Small Revolutions as part of programming or exhibitions in partner spaces such as Lanecia Rouse Tinsley Gallery at Holy Family HTX, Sawyer Yards, The Journey HTX, Big Medium, Throughline Collective, Anderson Center for the Arts, Houston Climate Justice Museum, DiverseWorks, and Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston.
The curators consider proposals situating Texas as a fluid, ever-changing site of knowledge, producing cultural participation and cross-pollination, transmuting borders, regional identity, and marginalized histories.
Faced with economic, cultural, and environmental shifts in the last few years, many creative practitioners have evaluated basic needs from food, shelter, medicine, music, and art, as well as relationships with each other and our environment, reminding us of the value of what we already have…or what we might solely need to flourish.
As the organizers survey various practices, including dinners, performances, and artist projects, they view this year's event as an opportunity to explore sustainable models for presenting and producing work in Texas.
“Texas is a constructed territory. The inflows and outflows of changing borders, occupations, and boundaries shape the formation of communities and their participants. The 2024 Texas Biennial explores the overlapping and amorphous forms of cultural production and cross-pollination through the rising and falling of systems and structures drawn across people, land, and water. With particular attention to artistic process, practice, and participation, the biennial centers on performance, gathering, poetry, cultural preservation, and visual art shaped by collectives and community involvement. We look to artists to articulate a means of liberation.”
Curatorial Statements
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The co-organizing and planning for the 2024 Texas Biennial emerges from an urgent plea to unearth more questions from the ever-ripping seams of silence. As devices meditated intersectional and overlapping atrocities across Sudan, Congo, and Gaza, I entered the New Year craving poetry. Poetry that lived inside of me, around me, perhaps unseen or unremarked upon. Thousands of poems on loose papers across my desk, a few words penned urgently in the margins of a book, or the accumulation of dust after several weeks of travel. Somewhere in a pile of unwashed clothing, or an overdue conversation with a friend. I sought poetry wondering what to do with the grief.
There are times in my life, and in the life of the world, where only a poem — perhaps in the form of the lyrics of a song, or a half sentence we ourselves write down — can reach the precise contours of a question that can’t be fully articulated. When I find myself in conversation with an artist, a poet, a prophet, or a griot — it is not only to talk of their work, but to delve into ways words, breath, sound, and silence teach us about being fully human — and staying human — in all that is treacherous, heartbreaking, revelatory, and wondrous.
I come with a belief we can articulate our questions and doubts in art, poems, stories, or stillness. To learn from the shadows we cast when standing in the sun. To call for the children playing in the clouds. To sweep the lingering dust long after the masses marched. Or watch the bowing arch of a tree firmly rooted during a hurricane.
It is my hope the participating artists, poets, chefs, and cultural stewards brought together through the 2024 Texas Biennial become the poem we need to hear at this moment. The voices of those speaking the same questions, singing their grief, or creating from sacred outrage. From inside of us and all around us, the work brought together becomes the chorus of voices to bury the dead and summon the living. With each collective breath, I believe we have what we need to rise, and rise again.
We’ve come this far, survived this much.
What would happen if we decided to survive more? To love harder?
What if we stood up with our synapses and flesh and said, No.
No, to the rising tides.Ada Limón, “Dead Stars”
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Arriving at this moment to co-organize the 2024 Texas Biennial comes with mixed feelings. There are waves of anxiety, sparks of curiosity, and a craving for a new rhythm of creating and engaging with art. There is also this call to sit in silence and reflect on all that has happened over the last couple of years. But, even amid all these feelings, the call I keep hearing is for questions to be answered and for new futures to be foraged out of those responses.
I am constantly thinking about the role artists play in times of crisis and what that means for the future generations of creatives. I keep thinking about topics like…What does it mean to be a creative in Texas? Perhaps the question is more like this— What does it mean to be A human in Texas?
I’m interested in questions about how we carry time and how we are carried by time. Understanding that each act, while completely similar, can be vastly different and offer unique experiences. We understand that time can be repetitive and call to us frequently to acknowledge the world around us and how we managed to get here or rather there. —Wherever there might be.
I wonder, what does it look like to be in opposition to time? What rhythm or rituals exist to help us understand how we might be able to manipulate it as we move in the world?
As curators, we have been taught to mitigate crises and find solution-oriented pathways. We work with artists and for artists who are trying to find creative solutions in the name of creative expression, often indirectly related to acts of survival.
I wonder why we call it survival? The dictionary defines survival as a state or fact of continuing to live or exist, typically despite an accident, ordeal, or difficult circumstances. It sounds connected to what it means to be resilient in Texas. How do we individually and collectively survive in systems of oppression, outdated values, and ways of being?
I wonder what it would look like for us to put together a manual for the future? What might be outlined as different ways of surviving? What creative solutions would build new systems and what might be born out of spite?
In my curatorial practice, I think a lot about the legacies we inherit and carry with us. There are so many hidden layers of stories deeply embedded across Texas. Stories waiting to be told and retold. Stories of love and survival. Stories of unsung heroes and histories. Stories of poetry and paradise.
I’m interested in how these stories come alive. How artists create spaces of belonging and how we might begin to re-imagine our surroundings. Some call it speculative fiction, others call it world building but what if it's merely re-examining all that we already have?
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When thinking about a new Biennial, post-pandemic (kind-of), after a very successful run in 2021, and feelings of constant stress, unstable environments, and transitions, the only thing that kept coming to mind was that we needed to go “back to basics.” Back to basics meant to strip down the program, weed out the superfluous, and focus on the voices of artists and how they are navigating this moment in time—an austere approach for the Texas Biennial.
Unlike its name, the Texas Biennial doesn’t necessarily happen every two years. The leadership and vision change with every edition, making change the only constant, similar to the state we call home and what it means to be in the arts in Texas. To me, the only way to make it happen successfully for everyone involved is by planning it “In Community,” leaning on others, trusting, and holding each other with kindness and good faith. What we’ve been going through collectively has dramatically impacted how we behave and perceive reality and connectivity. We’re all doing our best to move at our own pace, however long it takes. This made me especially interested in the importance of making time and space to process, breathe, be quiet, cry, or close cycles. Thoughtfulness, intentionality, and dedication only to the necessary, what we have at hand, what we’ve kept close in our hearts despite the violence and upheaval we’ve endured.
Crossing paths with Erika at a critical moment was serendipitous and confirmed it was the right time for a new edition of the Biennial. Our passion and dedication to our cities, artists, and art influenced by Texas and current affairs ignited a strong partnership, and it didn’t take long for us to start daydreaming and expanding the scope of what we might do with this Biennial. Ashley was quickly invited as a collaborator to bring the co-organizing team together and solidify our vision for the 2024 Texas Biennial in an experimental and organic form with all the possibilities to be just what we individually and collectively need. One that makes us feel embraced and empowered to go out and proudly show how amazing our Texas artists are, share their voices, and provide a platform for them to lead the way.
GUIDELINES
General Information
The Texas Biennial is a geographically-led, independent survey of contemporary art in Texas. The program was founded in 2005 by Austin nonprofit Big Medium to provide an exhibition opportunity open to all artists living and working in the state. The eighth edition of this program will take place in 2024, making the Texas Biennial the longest-running state biennial in the country. Since its inception, the program has brought the work of over 300 artists to new audiences, springboarding many artists’ careers and underscoring the diversity of contemporary practice in Texas.
Works selected through the Open call could be presented alongside projects in upcoming exhibitions, River on Fire and Makeshift Memorials, Small Revolutions as part of programming or exhibitions in partner spaces such as Holy Family, Silos Gallery, North Gallery, Sabine Street, Spring Street, Tank Space, Spring Street Corridors, The Journey, Lawndale, Aurora Picture Show, Big Medium, K Space Contemporary, Throughline Collective, Anderson Center for the Arts, Houston Climate Justice Museum, South Texas Center for Human Rights, and Arts + Culture Lab.
Curatorial Criteria
Erika Mei Chua Holum, Ashley Dehoyos Sauder, and Coka Treviño will Co-Curate the 2024 Texas Biennial through a collaborative and non-hierarchical approach. Selected through invitations and an open call, artist projects, works, and programming will be featured at the Blaffer Art Museum and host venues in Houston and the Texas Coast.
The curators consider proposals situating Texas as a fluid, ever-changing site of knowledge, producing cultural participation and cross-pollination, transmuting borders, regional identity, and marginalized histories.
Faced with economic, cultural, and environmental shifts in the last few years, many creative practitioners have evaluated basic needs from food, shelter, medicine, music, and art, as well as relationships with each other and our environment, reminding us of the value of what we already have…or what we might solely need to flourish. As the organizers survey various practices, including dinners, performances, and artist projects, they view this year's event as an opportunity to explore sustainable models for presenting and producing work in Texas.
“Texas is a constructed territory. The inflows and outflows of changing borders, occupations, and boundaries shape the formation of communities and their participants. The 2024 Texas Biennial explores the overlapping and amorphous forms of cultural production and cross-pollination through the rising and falling of systems and structures drawn across people, land, and water. With particular attention to artistic process, practice, and participation, the biennial centers on performance, gathering, poetry, cultural preservation, and visual art shaped by collectives and community involvement. We look to artists to articulate a means of liberation.”
Eligibility
The Texas Biennial is open to all artists living and/or working in Texas, artists native to Texas and Texas expats working anywhere in the world, and artists who have produced or exhibited significant work in Texas in the last three years. Artists attending Texas-based residency or fellowship programs are eligible if the work submitted for consideration was produced or conceptualized while in Texas. Invitations to participate in the Texas Biennial are at the sole discretion of the curators. Artists will be selected on the basis of work entered. Artists are invited to submit projects, proposals, and work created between 2020-2024 that haven’t been shown more than twice in Texas since 2020.
Artists may submit work for consideration in any medium and at any scale, understanding that the exhibition venue and format may not accommodate all work. In the case of performance, installation, or some other element that may have not been physically realized at the time you apply, you must provide adequate written documentation describing the work. If you have a question about whether your work can be accommodated, please contact info@texasbiennial.org.
How To Apply
Applications will be accepted online from February 15 – March 31, 2024 at texasbiennial.org
Applications not submitted by 11:59 pm CST on March 31, 2024, will not be reviewed.
All entries must be completed using the online form. Please read these guidelines carefully before beginning your application. You may print these guidelines for future reference. You may also access these guidelines at any time during the application process via the “Guidelines” link at the top of the application.
Once you start the online application process, you can leave the application by either logging out or closing your browser. You can return to edit your application at any time before you complete your entry. Once you have completed your application, it is no longer accessible and cannot be edited. Do not click the “Apply” button until your application is complete and fully satisfied with its contents. Be sure to click “Apply” when you have finalized your application. Applications in Spanish are welcome.
To begin the application process, you will be required to create a user account. There is a $20 USD application fee for each entry. Application fees will not be refunded for entries deemed ineligible. If you need support with the application fee, please do not fill out this form and contact Big Medium at info@bigmedium.org
If you work individually and collaboratively, you may enter both as an individual and as part of your team(s). You may submit as many applications as you wish; however, you must create a new user account for each application.
Uploading Your Information
Within the application, you will see two areas for uploading your information, “Artist Information” and “Artworks.” Below is detailed information for each section.
Artist Information
You may upload up to three (3) documents to provide background information, such as a CV (not to exceed three pages) and/or an Artist Statement (not to exceed more than 500 words) and/or recent press. Acceptable formats are: .doc, .pdf, .rtf, .txt.
Artworks
Each entry can include up to seven (7) works, and each work may be represented by up to three (3) files. Files may include still images, video files, as well as written documentation. Acceptable file formats are: .jpg, .tiff, .gif, .mp3, .wav, .mp4, .avi, .mov, .doc, .pdf, .rtf, .txt
Image resolution should be large enough for the curator to view the work clearly on a computer.
Name image files accordingly: lastname_image#
URLs for videos hosted online or for web-based works may be used instead of uploading files. However, please include a video still with the artwork information detailed below. Links must include http:// or https:// at the beginning of the URL.
Artwork Information
Title
Dimensions: Height, Width, Depth — Please use inches in decimal format. (Example: 20.25”)
Medium
Year Completed
Equipment
You should be prepared to provide all equipment necessary to present your art, although please disclose your needs in advance in case the Texas Biennial can provide the necessary equipment locally.
Authorship and Ownership
By entering a work, you represent that you are its author and that you either own the work or have the owner’s permission to enter it for consideration.
Selected Artists
Final notification of the curator's selections will be sent to all artists by the end of June 2024. Notifications will be sent to the email address entered in the application. All artworks are subject to in-person curatorial review before final acceptance. The exhibition will take place in Houston in the fall of 2024; ensure your work will be available from September 2024 to January 2025.
Installation
Selected work must be received and ready to install. Unless other arrangements are made in advance, the Texas Biennial will handle the installation. Artists who will be completing site-specific installations will need to work within a specific timeline to be disclosed at a later date.
Publication-Quality Documentation
In order to promote the exhibition in a timely fashion, publication-quality documentation of all work must be received by the Texas Biennial before acceptance is final and artist selections are announced. The artist must provide all documentation for completed works by the agreed due date to be considered for acceptance. Installations, performances, and site-specific works will be handled accordingly in a case-by-case scenario.
Loan Agreements
Artists will be required to complete a loan agreement, including the specification of insurance value before acceptance of a work is final.
Artist Stipend
All artists selected from the Open Call will be awarded a stipend. Artist stipends may vary depending on individual projects. However, honoraria will be distributed evenly.
Handling and Shipping of Work
Work accepted for the exhibition may be hand-delivered or shipped pre-paid to the exhibition venue; artists are also responsible for return shipping. The Texas Biennial does not pay shipping costs but will work with you to make the most cost-effective arrangements. All work must be packed appropriately to ensure safety during shipping and storage awaiting exhibition installation. The Texas Biennial will use the same or similar packing to prepare work for return shipping. The Texas Biennial is not responsible for improper packing or shipping damage.
Insurance
The Texas Biennial will insure all work included in the exhibition from the moment the work is accepted at the exhibition venue until the artist, designated recipient, or shipper picks up the work. All work included in the exhibition must have a value for insurance purposes.
Reproductions and Publicity
By entering your work and providing images and other documentation, you agree that any images and other materials you provide may be reproduced and published in the Texas Biennial catalog and promotional and press materials and distributed via the websites and social media channels of Big Medium, the Texas Biennial, and the project’s partners. You also agree that images of your work may be reproduced in the context of the exhibition and its promotion by third parties such as journalists and media outlets.
