Sam Francis

Untitled, 1984

106.7 X 73 inch

What is a Biennial?

What is a Biennial?

A Biennial is an art exhibition held every two years, typically on a large scale with international participants. The first and most famous example is the Venice Biennale, established in 1895 and held in the Giardini, a public park in Venice. Over time, the event has grown to include thirty permanent pavilions, each representing different countries. Biennials have become significant events in the contemporary art world, offering a platform for artists to showcase their work to a global audience.

Entropy

Entropy, in a broader sense, refers to the inevitable deterioration or decline of a society or system. In art, the concept was popularized by artist Robert Smithson in the 1960s. He used the term to critique what he saw as the static and overly simplified nature of contemporary minimalist art. Smithson's work often explored the idea of entropy as a force of chaos and decay, contrasting with the perceived order and purity of minimalist works.

Oil on board

Oil on board is a painting technique where oil paint is applied to either wood panels that have been sanded and primed or high-density cardboard covered with canvas. These surfaces offer the advantage of being more compact for storage compared to traditional stretched canvas on frames, while still providing a stable surface for painting.

Coloured pencil

Colored pencils consist of a core made from various colored pigments mixed with a binder, encased in wood. They can also be found as solid pigment sticks without the wooden casing. When drawing, the pigment is transferred to a surface, allowing for lines and shading in different thicknesses.

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