Bellevue Arts Museum selects 39 woodworking artists for 2014 biennial exhibition

"BAM Biennial: Knock on Wood" is the third such exhibition by the museum, scheduled to run from Oct. 31 to March 29, 2015. Two artists will be awarded $5,000 prizes and one will be offered a future solo exhibit.

Thirty-nine artists have been chosen for the Bellevue Arts Museum’s celebratory biennial exhibition, opening in October.

“BAM Biennial: Knock on Wood” is the third such exhibition by the museum and will feature art installations created in wood, “one of the most versatile media in the fields of art, craft and design,” as described by a media release on the coming exhibit.

The artists were selected from a pool of 180 applicants by curating jurors from the BAM, the Arizona State University Art Museum, The Center for Art in Wood and Vulcan Inc, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s investment and project management company. A full list of the selected artists can be found on the Bellevue Arts Museum website.

“The quality and scope of proposals selected by the jury embodies the deep-rooted economic and artistic connection of the region to this natural resource,” BAM Director Stefano Catalani said. “(This exhibit) will evidence and celebrate wood’s ability to ‘speak’ through the languages of art, craft and design.”

Cash prizes of $5,000 each will be awarded to two of the exhibiting artists. One artist will be offered a future solo exhibition at the museum.

“Knock on Wood” will run from Oct. 31 to March 29, 2015.