The River Between Us...

The Strasburg Biennial
41 Artists
August 18 - December 1, 2018

"...the river is everywhere at once, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the rapids, in the sea, in the mountains, everywhere at once, and that there is only the present time for it, not the shadow of the past, not the shadow of the future"
-- Hermann Hesse Siddhartha

"'cause I know there is strength in the differences between us and I know there is comfort where we overlap."
-- Ani DiFranco Overlap

"There's a river somewhere that flows through the lives of everyone."
-- Roberta Flack River

"A river is more than an amenity.... It is a treasure. It offers a necessity of life that must be rationed among those who have power over it."
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. New Jersey v. New York

A river is spontaneous... an arcadian watercourse. Freshwater flow follows flow. Surging ahead, it conveys life to the flora and fauna of its jurisdiction. Upstream, downstream sweeping with, or against the current and swirl. Serene and level today, unconstrained stormy swollen destructive flooding tomorrow.

A tributary's waters are sacrosanct. Innate verve is its transcendent gift. Above ground or subterranean in cave pools, circulating and percolating at the mercy of the rhythmic tide, gesture is ever present.

Rocks, rapids, waterfalls, natural dams; nothing impedes its shape-shifting, driving force to advance. Ever-morphing yet fleeting ripples of surface-splendor oscillate. A visual feast ceaselessly unfolds. As stirring artwork does, the lush glimmering... lulls one into contemplation. From reverie arises new perception. Serenading the moment of now, cascading chain-reaction pours forth into pools of timeless observation.

Echoing nature, humankind creates rivulets of symbolic gushing in life: of distribution, design and data, of social media, relationships and genealogy. We generate nourishment for the body, soul and mind... along with streams of income and expectations. Occasionally we can be separated by ideology, appearing on opposite banks, but as a species that creates tools... we tend to build bridges.

Wade into the artistry and inspiration flowing through Strasburg.
The River Between Us...

Come on in, the water's fine.

AK Airways
A.Kimberlin Blackburn
Bruce Conner
China Blue
Christopher Hart Chambers
Cris Dam
David Ellis
Elio Franceschelli
Fred Gutzeit
German Pitre
Grace Graupe Pillard
Jason Ryan Simmons
Joy Yagid

June Wilson
Kate Dodd
Kathleen Vance
Kris Viemeister
Leigh Henry
Les Ayre
Loren Munk
Lucia Ravens
Mark Andreas
Melissa Pokorny
Nina Levy
Pam J. Brown
Patrick Doyle
Paul Zdepski

Rachel REN Crawford
Richard Wislocky
roycrosse
Stefanie Nagorka
Stephen Mallon
Steve McKenzie
Terry Ward
Thomas Broadbent
Tina Han
Victoria Hanks
Viggo Mortensen
Viktor Alimpiev
Yoko Ono

Press Release [PDF 148KB]

Donald Lambert - "Strasburg art museum unveils new exhibit"
The Northern Virginia Daily, Vol 132, No 257, Arts & Entertainment page B11, November 2, 2018, illus. color

Max Lee - "Artists, visitors come together at Strasburg art museum event"
The Northern Virginia Daily, Vol 132, No 271, Front page, November 19, 2018, illus. color

Staff
Rupert Ravens, Director/Curator
Kirslyn Schell-Smith, Assistant Manager

Summer Production
Rachel Fitzsimmons, Associate Director
Abby Gibbs, Communications/Contracts
Christopher Williams, Art Handler/Reception Ambassador
Haley Schnebele, Art Handler/Technical Assistant
Mary Petracca, Research/Registrar/Digital Sales
Olivia Truban, Marketing/Education/Reception Ambassador
Taylor Dipaola, Design/Event Coordinator

Installation
Everett Ravens, Digital Coordinator
Richard Wislocky, Detail Coordinator
Kris Viemeister, Aerial Coordinator
Paul Zdepski, Aerial Coordinator
Ron Heishman, Sky Lift Coordinator

Facilities Production
Daniel Lefkowitz, Safety Wall
Kris Viemeister, Safety Rails
Glen "Putty" Rickard, Pedestals/Doors
Chad Miller, Exterior Gleam