Exhibit Showcases Local Artists

Biennial 2023 - Photo by Jacek Gancarz

(PRESS RELEASE)_April 27, 2023 (Lake Worth Beach, Fla.) -- The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is inviting visitors to come and experience the diversity and breadth of work created by artists living and working in The Palm Beaches with its Biennial 2023 exhibition.

Free and open to the public through June 24, the new exhibition highlights some of the best professional artists in Palm Beach County. A juried show that is presented every two years, the exhibition features more than 30 artists displaying work that spans across various mediums, including video, painting, photography and sculpture.

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At the exhibition’s opening reception on April 20, three professional artists were awarded the exhibition’s highest honors and cash prizes. Boca Raton-based artist Fulya Acikgoz earned Best of Show for her oil painting “Turkish Porcelain Plates,” while Delray Beach-based artist Lucia Gomez earned Second Place for her mixed media oil painting “City Memoirs No. 2853” and Lake Park-based artist Lupe Lawrence earned Third Place for her oil painting “I Will Fly a Kite.” All who attend the exhibition will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite piece, with a final People’s Choice award unveiled at the end of the exhibition after all votes are tallied up.

The Palm Beach County-based professional artists featured in Biennial 2023 are Fulya Acikgoz, Milena Arango, Molly Aubry, Robert Barra, Robert Catapano, Mark Cohen, Gregory Dirr, Martha Dominguez, Pia Dugger, Arlet Gomez, Lucia Gomez, Caren Hackman, Jay Hatfield, Joe Horton, Kianga Jinaki (Cultural Council Artist Innovation Fellow), Anthea Kerou, Bogdan Kravchenko, Lupe Lawrence, Kyle Lucks, Kaleigh Koss, Craig McInnis, Jane McIntyre, Kristin Miller, Pamela O’Brien Morton, Hilary Pulitzer, Dan Remmel, Annina Ruest, Nadine Saitlin, Karen H. Salup, Ashlee Sanford, Barry Seidman, Ted Shaine, Kim Rae Taylor and Elaine Weber.

“Our Biennial 2023 exhibition showcases some of the very best in Palm Beach County,” said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO. “We have world class artists living here in Palm Beach County and are so proud to showcase their work. We’d love to invite everyone to come see this phenomenal exhibition.”

Guest juror Juana Williams — associate curator of African American Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts in Michigan — combed through more than 300 applications from Palm Beach County professional artists to select which artists and pieces to include in the show.

“There’s an expansive amount of talent in Palm Beach County,” Williams said. “Technique matters, but I also sought profound or unique elements in each piece when selecting the works for this show. I think visitors will be surprised to see the wonderful variety of mediums and subjects that this exhibition encompasses.”

Based in Detroit, Williams has guest-curated exhibitions at galleries and museums across the U.S., has presented lectures at numerous venues and contributed to multiple exhibition catalogues. She is passionate about engaging communities, elevating diverse voices, and giving a platform to artists for innovative expression. She also persistently advocates for supporting artists and preserving art-centered spaces.

“Each juror brings their own eye to an exhibition, and this year is no exception,” said Jessica Ransom, the Cultural Council’s director of artist services, who curated the exhibition. “Juana Williams has chosen a wide range of media and a diverse group of artists that showcase both abstract and realistic works. This exhibition truly represents this cultural moment.”

The show is located in the Cultural Council’s Main Gallery at its downtown Lake Worth Beach headquarters; exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. The exhibition is sponsored by Ellen Liman, The Palm Beach Art Collection, Palm Beach Media Group and Florida Weekly.