With its first biennial show, Virginia MOCA aims to boost its gravitas

The piercing eyes of a masked figure stare from atop a horse in the painting  “All I Ever Wanted Was to Kiss the Sun,” looking like he’s up to no good. The artist, Andrew Norris, is from Richmond.

The bodies of two women bathing children, depicted in pink and fleshy colors in the painting “Rinse, Repeat,” exude a sense of exhaustion. Their painter, Lauren Moses, is from Charlottesville.

Both are part of the inaugural “Made in VA Biennial” at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, a juried show that includes 87 works by 61 — out of the 699 — artists who applied for entry.

The idea behind how the museum has added gravitas to its art show may, at first, seem counterintuitive.

For 30 years, Virginia MOCA held a “Made in VA” that showcased the work of state artists. Switching the show to a biannual schedule, however, has increased the show’s scope and importance.

” ‘Biennial’ is a word that signals something in the art world,” said Heather Hakimzadeh, the museum’s senior curator.

Some of the most prestigious art institutions in the world hold biennials, such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, and as do some art-destination cities, including Venice, with its Biennale di Venezia.

“We knew that if we became a biennial that it would elevate the show in a way we really hoped for and signal to our patrons that they were about to see something really special.”

The move has allowed the museum to dedicate a prominent, central gallery with more floor space to the show. It also resulted in more prize money for the winning artists, and more artists submitted work than before.

Vivian Chiu, of Henrico, won the best-in-show Goode Prize of $10,000 for “Self IV,” an octahedron sculpture that, when viewed from each of its sides, reveals different parts of its subject’s body.

“She’s saying: Wherever you move around, wherever you see this piece, you’re seeing a different part of me, and it’s not going to collect, coalesce into a whole, unless you’re standing in specific spots,” Hakimzadeh said.

A second-place prize of $3,000 went to Kara Braciale of Falls Church for her sculpture “Σ (sigma).” Rebecca Oh of Richmond won the third place prize of $1,500 for her oil painting “E,” and three honorable mentions and the recipients of a Director’s Prize and people’s choice award also received cash prizes.

The exhibition also features tapestries, drawings and works in other mediums.

Colin Warren-Hicks, 919-818-8138, colin.warrenhicks@virginiamedia.com

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If you go

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Last entry for exhibit, 3:15 p.m. Through Jan. 5.

Where: 2200 Parks Ave., Virginia Beach

Tickets: Reserve slots online. Free for in-state residents with proof of residence; up to $18.35 for out of state.

Details: virginiamoca.org