The Schneider Museum of Art is excited to be a part of Disjecta Contemporary Art Center’s groundbreaking Portland2016: A Biennial of Contemporary Art. The Museum is one of twenty-five different exhibition spaces across the state of Oregon that is showing works this summer.

Internationally renowned artist-curator Michelle Grabner selected thirty-four artists and artist-teams who are exhibiting their work at wide-ranging venues from Ashland and Clatskanie to Madras and La Grande this summer. Mirroring the geographic span of the artists—thirteen are from outside Portland—Disjecta’s Biennial engages sites across Oregon, making the project accessible to larger and more diverse audiences, while also encouraging visitors to travel between and explore host communities.

At the heart of Grabner’s vision is her investigation into regionalism, particularly how artists working in specific locations often reflect their geography and culture; and more broadly, how these local dynamics impact the global art world in a time of decentralization. During Grabner’s research, which included visits to 107 artists’ studios, she and Disjecta looked at potential exhibition sites, ranging from university galleries to museums, vacant storefronts, early 20th-century vaudeville theaters, garages, and libraries. “New and alternative exhibition contexts always present a challenge for artists. It is important to me that the artists I selected to represent the Portland2016 Biennial are offered an opportunity to grow and expand their creative process, to engage new audiences and exhibition sites,” Grabner says.

Grabner’s choice of artists—a mix of mid-career to emerging, working in a variety of media that encompass installation, film/video, sound, painting, craft, and social-based practice—is supported by her carefully-considered venue pairings. “We’ve always imagined the Biennial as a statewide event—a way to encourage cultural exchange,” says Disjecta Director Bryan Suereth. “Michelle’s interest in geographic proclivities made this an opportune year to expand the footprint of the exhibition. It serves a dual purpose; while celebrating the great art being made throughout the state, it also elevates the unique landscapes and communities of Oregon.”