Guide to the 2011 Pittsburgh Biennial

The 2011 Pittsburgh Biennial might have already started in June, but that's not even the half of it—literally. The second half of the Biennial opens mid September and lasts all the way until December at the Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University and The Warhol. For those unaware of this annual arts event, the Pittsburgh Biennial is collaboration between Pittsburgh art organizations (Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, The Miller Gallery and the Warhol) and the region's artists looking to showcase their masterpieces. These organizations display the artists' works, giving regional artists the opportunity of a lifetime, and the viewers, a unique experience.

The Warhol

117 Sandusky St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
(412) 237-8300
Hours: Tues - Sun, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Biennial Schedule: 9/17-12/10
Website: www.warhol.org

If you're looking to get your fill of the Biennial experience, head on over to the Warhol on September 17 for a foray into the whimsical art world this museum has created. During the Biennial, the Warhol will focus its exhibits on female artists pushing the boundaries of change. These female artists have specialties ranging from photography, paintings, installations and drawings, to printmaking and kinetic wearables. It's all over the board, but what else would you expect from the Warhol? These fabulous female artists either call Pittsburgh their home or have lived in the area for several years. And with 21 different female artists on display, there will be no shortage of interesting pieces to gaze at.
Artists' specialties: Architecture, landscape, spiritualism, dream imagery, sports history, queer culture, feminism, television, art history, pop culture, children's portraits, gender, racial and sexual identity, superhero, urban culture, Jewish history.

Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University

5000 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 268-3618
Hours: Tues-Sun, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Biennial Schedule: 9/16-12/11
Website: www.millergallery.cfa.cmu.edu

The exhibit at the Miller Gallery will feature artists and collectives who work collaboratively and represent a socially conscious attitude. To get their message across, they make prints, mappings, sculptures, video, photography and more. One collective that will make known its presence is the Justseeds Artists' Cooperative, which is a network that recently moved to Pittsburgh. This group of 26 artists works collectively and shows their creativity through design and printwork.
Artists' specialties: Social activism, feminism, politics, bio-technologies, class, anxiety, cultural geography, sculptural installations
Even though the Biennial has been going on for a few months, the exhibit at the Carnegie Museum lasts until September 18, and the Center for the Arts and Pittsburgh Filmmakers lasts until October 23.

Carnegie Museum of Art

4400 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 622-3131
Hours: Tues-Sat, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thurs, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sun, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Biennial Schedule: 6/16-9/18
Website: www.cmoa.org

Eight artists no doubt make their presence known at this year's Biennial at the Carnegie Museum of Art. With their art being represented through various mediums, such as film, sculpture, drawing, photography and video, these artists place an emphasis on the subject of labor.

Artists' specialties: Alternative comics, graphic novels, documentary, installations, technology

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts

6300 Fifth Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
(412) 361-0873
Hours: Tues-Wed, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thurs, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sun, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Biennial Schedule: 6/10-10/23
Website: www.pittsburgharts.org

The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts has a clear vision: installation. These 16 artists specialize in everything, from video, performance, photography to sculpture, sound and drawing. Be sure to check out this exhibit before it shuts down on October 23—you don't want to miss it.

Specialties: Kinetics, science, environment, human behavior, relationships, urban waste, wood, bronze, popular culture, popular technology

Pittsburgh Filmmakers

477 Melwood Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 681-5449
Biennial Schedule: 6/10-10/23
Website: www.pghfilmmakers.org

This part of the Biennial exhibit focuses on media arts, with four artists well-versed in the world of media. These artists specialize in film, video, sound and photography, and their displayed pieces reflect just that. Like the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, this exhibit has been ongoing since June. Be sure to check out the creative work these artists have put on display for the public to enjoy.

Artists' Specialties: Media memory, culture, tourism, entrepreneurs

Christine Mouser is currently living in the Pittsburgh area, where she is an editorial intern for Pittsburgh Magazine. She is set to graduate from Penn State University this summer, with a degree in print journalism. She has written for HappyValley.com, Town&Gown magazine and Penn State's Valley magazine.