During the curators visit to Winston-Salem this month, the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) is holding two special public events to introduce the curators and to celebrate North Carolina practices being considered for People’s Biennial. Details are as follows: Curators Talk & Roundtable Discussion Thursday, May 20 @ The Enrichment Center 4265 Brownsboro Road (corner of Marshall and Salem Streets across from the Hewitt Business Center) 7 p.m. 9 p.m. FREE True to the unconventional philosophy of Peoples Biennial, the curators of this project are not your typical curators. Harrell Fletcher is a pioneering artist in the field of socially-driven art, and a professor at one of the first universities in the country (Portland State) to teach social practice as a medium on par with painting or sculpture. Jens Hoffmann has worked in some of the most prominent galleries in the world (London ICA; Wattis Institute, San Francisco), but his approach is consistently unorthodox. Coming from a background in theatre, Hoffmann uses every seeming constant in the exhibition process as the opportunity for experimentation. Join Fletcher and Hoffmann as they provide a lively overview of their practices, and discuss their motivations for organizing the Peoples Biennial. Following their presentations, the curators will be joined by Independent Curators International (ICI) Deputy Director Renaud Proch, and SECCA Curator of Contemporary Art Steven Matijcio, for an open forum discussion. This is the publics opportunity to participate in the project. SECCA invites thoughts, opinions, recommendations and feedback to make the Peoples Biennial a project that truly represents all facets of creativity in North Carolina. Please come to the Enrichment Center on Thursday, May 20 for an evening of free-flowing conversation and brainstorming. Show & Tell Public Forum Saturday, May 22 @ Krankies 211 East Third St. 10:00 a.m.5:00 p.m. FREE Over years of organizing projects that celebrate process as much as product, curators Harrell Fletcher and Jens Hoffmann stretch the notions of what can be considered art. This question fuels the philosophy of Peoples Biennial. On Saturday, May 22, people from across North Carolina will be presenting their work to the curators for the Peoples Biennial as Fletcher and Hoffmann make their final selections for the exhibition. Five people will be chosen to participate in the nationally touring show. By attending, members of the public will have the opportunity to be part of the process. SECCA will be documenting the day with photos and video, and some of this documentation will be included in the catalogue that accompanies the exhibition. This is also a day to connect with your community and discover the great things being done in North Carolina. Participants will be laying their work out on tables and speaking to the curators throughout the day. SECCA invites you to see their work, meet the artists, and enjoy an event filled with the unexpected. From crochet, hairstyles, woodworking and robots to handmade guitars, books, photography, drawing, sculpture and video, this is an unparalleled opportunity to discover what everyday people are creating all around us. For additional information on these programs, please contact Endia Beal, SECCA programs assistant, at (336) 397-2109 or by e-mail at endia.beal@ncdcr.gov.
