Builders : Canadian Biennial 2012

This is an engaging and intelligent overview of the 2012 Canadian Biennial - one of the premier events of the North American art scene. Since its inauguration in 2010, the Canadian Biennial has become one of the highlights of the North American arts scene. Featuring over 100 works by more than 40 established and emerging artists, this new publication documents the Biennial's second edition with discussions of not only contemporary artistic practice but of contemporary collecting practices as well, revealing how curators work to understand, assess and place artists within the spectrum of some of the country's foundational practitioners. To this end, artist statements are accompanied by passages from the original curatorial justifications presented at the National Gallery's acquisition meetings. Authoritative essays on the state of contemporary Canadian art across diverse media, environments and generations are accompanied by targeted looks at Indigenous artists as well as specific practices such as photography. An illustrated profile highlights each participating artist.