Early in October 2008, an international art award will be presented in the Bonnefantenmuseum for the fifth time. As the initiator and organiser of the B.A.C.A. (Biennial Award for Contemporary Art), the Bonnefantenmuseum has updated the concept for the 2008 edition. The geographical restrictions of the European borders have been lifted and the B.A.C.A. Laureate is being sought in a slightly older generation of artists. Whereas the award was originally intended as an incentive for 'young' artists, the museum, led by a three-person jury, will now be looking for an artist who has "fully made his or her name in the world of visual art and who is regarded as a focus and driving force of new developments", in the words of the chairman of the jury, Alexander van Grevenstein. However, the award itself still consists of a sum of € 50,000, a publication and an exhibition in the Bonnefantenmuseum. A new component is a Masterclass given by the B.A.C.A. Laureate to a closed circle of 4 – 6 'young' artists, which will take place shortly after the award ceremony and the opening of the exhibition. These artists will be selected in consultation with the Jan van Eyck Academy, the Ateliers and the Sandberg Institute.

 

The Bonnefantenmuseum prides itself (once again) on having a prominent international jury. Robert Storr and Bice Curiger proved willing to sit at the table with chairman of the jury Alexander van Grevenstein in order to decide the winner of the B.A.C.A. Laureate 2008.

The American Robert Storr is a freelance exhibition maker, critic, artist and talented writer of monographic studies. From 1990 to 2002, Storr was a curator at MoMA, New York. In 2007, he led the Venice Biennial and he has been Dean of the renowned Yale School of Art since 2006. Bice Curiger, from Switzerland, is mainly known as the editor-in-chief of the art journal Parkett and the publisher of the museum journal TATE ETC. Curiger combines these activities with those of her job of curator at Kunsthaus Zürich.

 

In October 2008, the award ceremony will take place in Maastricht and the B.A.C.A. Laureate exhibition will be opened. Soon afterwards, a Masterclass will be held with 4 – 6 'young' artists. The work of these artists will then be incorporated into the exhibition. During the Masterclass, a discourse can be created from within the artistic practice, without the intervention of themes or other curatorial perspectives. The goal is to create a stimulating meeting between the Master and the young artists. Organising this Masterclass fits into the Bonnefantenmuseum's vision of not just following established values, but also paying attention to the younger generation.

 

For the organisation of the B.A.C.A. International, the Bonnefantenmuseum has been able to count on the generous support of two leading multinationals that have roots in Limburg. A sponsor agreement has been concluded with Océ NV and DSM NV for the organisation of several editions of this ambitious award. The B.A.C.A. International also receives support from the Maastricht Council and the Province of Limburg, who are thus both underlining the international significance of this art award for the city and the whole province.