Press Release

Tucson, AZ – Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block (TMA) celebrates experimentation and innovation by Arizona’s outstanding artists in Arizona Biennial 2020, a much-anticipated showcase for contemporary art. The exhibition is scheduled for October 1, 2020 to January 10, 2021.

Arizona artists over 18 years of age working in any media were invited to submit works by March 6, 2020 for consideration for Arizona Biennial 2020. From 1,351 entries, 91 works were selected for exhibition by guest juror Joe Baker, Executive Director, Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center. The exhibition contains a variety of media, including painting, installation, photography, sculpture, textiles/fiber arts, video and works on paper.

Arizona Biennial is the oldest running state-wide juried exhibition featuring exclusively Arizona artists. TMA began Arizona Biennial in 1980 as a way to amplify the artistic diversity of the state, and it remains an important part of the museum’s commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and access outlined in the recently-released IDEA Plan. “At this time of a global pandemic, as the very fabric of the American dream unravels, the artist’s voice sounds the alarm for what may be a very different world,” said Baker. “Many of the participating artists address the challenges we face as a nation, including cultural inequities, domestic violence, gender politics and environmental threats.”

Baker’s juror’s statement emphasizes the importance of the Biennial for Arizona in spite of the new challenges introduced by organizing and presenting a major group exhibition during the closures and restrictions of COVID-19: “Art is a path to freedom, emancipation and equity. At other times, it is simply a comfort in an upside-down world.”

Prior to assuming is role as executive director of the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, artist, curator and educator Joe Baker (Delaware) served as the CEO/executive director of Palos Verdes Art Center in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, and as co-founder and executive director of Lenape Center, New York. At the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Baker was the Lloyd Kiva New Curator of Fine Arts, where he pioneered new opportunities for emerging and underrepresented artists through innovative international exhibitions and programming. His work has recently focused on addressing issues of identity and global cultural equity. His artwork is in TMA’s permanent collection.

Artists selected for inclusion in Arizona Biennial 2020:

Paul Abbott
Mia B. Adams
David Adix
Jo Andersen
Julia Arriola
Laura Spalding Best
Willie Bonner
Barbara Brandel
Kate Breakey
Miro Chun
Robert Curran
Jeff DaCosta
Bill Dambrova
Cam DeCaussin
Mary Theresa Dietz
Martin Dimitrov
Amanda Margaretha DuPlooy
Ernesto Esquer
Steffi Faircloth
Fausto Fernandez
Kareem-Anthony Ferreira
Mark Florance
Rigo Flores
Sam Fresquez
Jill Friedberg
Corinne Geertsen
Nick Georgiou
Denis Gillingwater
Lisa Hastreiter-Lamb
Sara Hubbs
James M. Huffer
Christopher Jagmin
Zachary Jasper-Llumiquinga
Alan Bur Johnson
Benjamin M. Johnson
Jeffrey Jonczyk
Saskia Jorda
Joseph Labate and Laura LaFave
Jessica James Lansdon
Carolyn Lavender
Serge J-F. Levy
Nathaniel Lewis
Larry Madrigal
Matt Magee
Cydnei Mallory
Mitch Mantle
DeAnn Melton
Mary Meyer
Mark Mitchell
Katherine Monaghan
Rose Moon
Mary A. Nation
John Randall Nelson
Tom Ortega
Jordan Palmer
Barbara Penn
Olen Perkins
Elizabeth Z. Pineda
Rembrandt Quiballo
Anna Brooks Ramsey
Jason Ripper
Lisa M. Robinson
Carolyn Robles
Todd Ros
Ken Rosenthal
Kazuma Sambe
Henry Schoebel
Perla Segovia
Rachel Slick
Kaitlyn Jo Smith
Lisa Galloway Sprietsma
Mike Stack
George Strasburger
Marilyn Szabo
Laura Tanner
Ani Tung
Alex Turner
Rhonda Urdang
Linda Valdez
Zach Valent
Ivy Wahome
Wendy Willis
Danielle Wood
Denise Yaghmourian
Chris Zerendow