Bellingham National 2023 Juried Art Exhibition

The Whatcom Museum presents its fourth biennial juried art exhibition, Bellingham National. Grace Kook-Anderson, the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art at the Portland Art Museum, is the guest juror and has selected finalists from among more than 1,000 submitted artworks for a three-month show in the Lightcatcher building. Visual artists from across the United States – both long-established and up & coming – vied for a chance to exhibit their works at the Whatcom Museum and to be considered for one of three Juror’s Choice Awards. Those works span the visual arts, from video, painting, and sculpture to textile and glass, and all reflect the exhibition’s theme of healing and repair.

Over the course of the exhibition, museum visitors can vote for an artwork to receive a People’s Choice Award, to be announced in late February.

Juror’s Choice Award winners were announced at the opening reception on November 11, 2023. All winners will receive a cash prize, and the first-place winner will also receive a future spotlight exhibition at the Whatcom Museum.

1^st prize: Io Palmer, Unruly Foliage

2^nd prize: Federico Cuatlacuatl, Tiemperos del Antropoceno: TEWAME TIYOLICHA KAWITL

3^rd prize: Renee Noelle Cheesman, Purification of Guilt

A People’s Choice Award will also be announced the last week of the exhibition after visitors have had a chance to cast their votes

Bellingham National 2023 Invited Artists

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.