20 May 2011

Artadia publication profiles 41 contemporary artists working in the US today

'Looking at the art and artists associated with Artadia over the last two years is a perfect opportunity to assess the first decade of this young millennium,' writes Franklin Sirmans in his opening essay.

Flavorwire called the book 'pitch perfect.'

BURNAWAY writes that the book 'leaps beyond clichés of second-city angst.'

The 168-page, full-color publication surveys two years of Artadia Awardees from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, and San Francisco who were selected through Artadia's rigorous two-tiered jury process.

'5 Cities / 41 Artists' includes essays by foremost curators and thinkers in Artadia's program cities, including guest editor Franklin Sirmans (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), Andrea Barnwell Brownlee (Spelman College of Fine Art, Atlanta), René de Guzman (Oakland Museum of California), Jen Mergel (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), Stephanie Smith (Smart Museum of Art, Chicago), and Michelle White (The Menil Collection, Houston).

Featuring over 140 artworks with comments by Artadia Awardees 2009 Atlanta, 2009 Boston, 2008 Chicago, 2008 Houston, and 2009 San Francisco. Full biographies of the 41 artists are also included.

Available on Artadia's website: www.artadia.org/book.html
$40 cover price, professional discount available upon request.

Support for Artadia's inaugural biennial publication is provided by two anonymous family foundations, Judith Alexander Foundation, The Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts, The Graue Family Foundation, Houston Endowment, Inc., and many generous individuals.

Artists included in the publication:
Mequitta Ahuja, Tristan Al-Haddad, Dawolu Jabari Anderson, Melika Bass, Claire Beckett, Ambreen Butt, Juan Angel Chávez, Caleb Cole, Don Cooper, Jim Duignan, Ruth Dusseault, Theaster Gates, James Gobel, Raul Gonzalez, Eric Gottesman, Katy Heinlein, Kelly Kaczynski, Lauren Kelley, Jason Lazarus, El Franco Lee II, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Lynne McCabe, Miller & Shellabarger, Delilah Montoya, Katrina Moorhead, Floyd Newsum ,Moses Nornberg, Fahamu Pecou, Kim Piotrowski, Brion Nuda Rosch, Leslie Shows, Amie Siegel, Jerry Siegel, Allison Smith, Weston Takeshi Teruya, Stephanie Toppin, Larry M. Walker, Richard T. Walker, Angela West, Anne Wilson, and Joe Zane.

About Artadia:
Artadia's mission is to encourage innovative practice and meaningful dialogue across the United States by providing visual artists in specific communities with unrestricted awards and a national network of support. Artadia was founded as The ArtCouncil in 1997 by investment banker and art collector Christopher E. Vroom. The first awards were given in San Francisco, where Vroom was living at the time. Chicago was added as a program city in 2001. In 2003, Artadia added Houston to its roster, Boston in 2007, and Atlanta in 2009.

Artadia Awards are determined through a jury process that employs nationally prominent curators, artists, and critics. Since its founding, Artadia has awarded over $2.0 million to more than 200 artists. In 2009 Artadia launched a residency program, which brings Artadia Awardees from each of its program cities to New York for a three month residency at the International Studio and Curatorial Program. Last year Artadia inaugurated a biennial publication and an exhibitions exchange program that provides artists with crucial exposure outside of their local communities. Artadia also presents over 50 events annually around the country, which are intended to demonstrate the tremendous creativity in partner communities and facilitate exchange and dialogue nationwide.