In light of the impact of COVID-19, Bank Windhoek, in collaboration with the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN), has decided to shift the Triennial dates.
As a result, the new deadline for artists to submit their artwork is Friday, 6 November 2020, at 16:00. The judging of the artworks will take place in early February 2021, while the official opening of the Bank Windhoek Triennial is in April 2021, with the Award Ceremony taking place on Thursday, 8 April 2021. The duration of the exhibition will start on Friday, 9 April 2021 until Saturday, 03 July 2021.
The highly competitive art exhibition, which is open to all artists with Namibian citizenship, domicile, or permanent residence, joins the list of other significant events postponed due to COVID-19. “The pandemic has severely affected the visual arts industry. Thus, prompting the decision to allow visual artists more time to work on their submissions for the Bank Windhoek Triennial, to ensure they submit quality artwork,” said Bank Windhoek’s Head of Corporate Social Investments, Sponsorship, and Events, Bronwyn Moody.
Staged every three years, the Bank Windhoek Triennial showcases the quality and diversity of artwork produced by Namibian artists. The first Bank Windhoek Triennial took place in 2008, with three more since then in 2011, 2014 and 2017, bringing it to its fifth edition scheduled to take place in April next year.
“Despite this setback, we are looking forward to innovative works of art, and therefore encourage all artists who meet the qualifying criteria to enter the competition. This opportunity not only allows artists to win prizes but also acts as an important platform for networking and adds to the artist’s profile. We are confident that artists will transform their COVID-19 experience into captivating masterpieces come next year,” said NAGN’s Chief Executive Officer, Snobia Kaputu.
Kaputu added that all updated marketing material for the Bank Windhoek Triennial would be made available in due course. “In the meantime, we encourage all our potential participants to continue with their creative practice, adhere to social distancing measures and regulations as set out by the Namibian Government,” she said. “We encourage all artists to consult with us regarding challenges that they might experience producing artwork during this challenging time.”
