Continuing Craftmanship Corcoran Biennial Explores Traditional American Art Techniques by Fresia RodrÌguez Cadavid Among the oldest continuous biennials in the world, the Corcoran Biennial was founded in 1907. Since then, it has remained centered on new American artwork of rare quality. At the heart of the Corcoran Gallery of Artís 48th Biennial, now on display, viewers explore the nature of traditional art methods. Through its multiple and distinct pieces, the exhibitóappropriately named ìCloser to Homeîópermeates a sense of naturalness, simplicity and wholeness, bringing attention to contemporary artists who celebrate their craft though traditional artistic tools such as paint, canvas and wood. ìCraftsmanship is alive and well and has always been and will be long into the future, but thatís only one of the things that ties the work together,î said Jonathan Binstock, co-curator of the biennial, referring to the underlying theme of the exhibit. ìThere are a lot of other ideas or concerns that tie the work together Ö this use of traditional materials, techniques, approaches or subjects by contemporary artists in ways that update those things is a binding concern here,î he explained. Highlights of the exhibit include several pieces by painter Monique van Genderen. The Los Angeles-based artist uses enamel paint and adhesive vinyl film to create her artwork. This process, along with the grandness of her work, ensures that the pieces do not fit the traditional vocabulary of painting, such as canvas and brushstrokes. Her ìBlinded by Snow, a Slope in Two Pinksî incorporates a vibrant stroke of pink across the canvas among warm spaces of ecru-colored planes. These spaces, although void of color and pain, exude an odd warmness and welcoming sensation found in many of her works, such as in ìÖA figure on youÖ,î which is also on display. Here, a shining light reflects off the vinyl, creating a softening effect and appealing gloss not seen in many contemporary works. San Francisco-based Kathryn Spence combines domesticity, daily life and artistic vision to engage her muse. Spenceís ìUntitledî draws viewers in with the meticulous, obsessive orderliness of piles of discarded materials such as scraps, hairpins and balls of thread. Upholstery and mattress tags are neatly trimmed and piled atop one another in the display. In the welcoming piece of the exhibit, viewers come across Spenceís ìThread Pile,î a gathering of softball-size, colorful collections of thread. Later, visitors encounter her ìPaper Towels,î rolls of paper towels featuring her intrinsic and dramatic embroidery skill. In this particular work, Spence retraces ordinary patterns one would find on a towel and goes out of bounds to elaborate on the existing designs. In evaluating Spenceís work, one comes to appreciate her poetic ability to redefine mundane domestic objects. Although the biennial does attempt to refocus the tradition of craftsmanship, several artists featured in the exhibit do incorporate forms of multimedia in their work. In Colby Caldwellís silent work ìever present, [everywhere],î the artist invited friends to approach his film camera in private and begin recording. The outcome was natural, as subjects expressed themselves without inhibitions thanks to the artistís absence during filming, which created an air of freshness and truth in the work. The viewerís interactivity with the exhibit is undeniable, but so is the comfort level it provides. Two site-specific wooden perches constructed by New York-based artist Austin Thomas invite visitors to sit, analyze and share what they consider art. One, titled ìStudy for Dreamer: an Eyrie Perch,î is located outdoors along the New York Avenue side of the museum, while the other, the five-level ìFree Form Perch,î can be found inside. According to co-curator Stacey Schmidt, Thomas envisions each perch as multifunctional, offering a quiet escape for relaxing or studying and providing a vantage point from which to take in the surroundings and encourage social interaction. His other works include hand-size creations and collages that resemble small architectural plans not quite brought to fruition. In ìWood Plan,î Thomas uses colorful paper cuts in various shapes asymmetrically placed to create multi-dimensional planes. The intrinsic expression of the pieces conveys a complexity and simplicity innate to the art of architecture. In addition to the exhibit, the Corcoran is publishing an 80-page hardcover catalogue to accompany ìCloser to Home,î which will include full-color reproductions of the pieces. ìThe 48th Corcoran Biennial: Closer to Homeî runs through June 27 at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St., NW. For more information, please call (202) 639-1700 or visit www.corcoran.org. Fresia RodrÌguez Cadavid is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.