ROCKLAND — The Center for Maine Contemporary Art has announced the 25 artists whose work will be included in the 2016 CMCA Biennial exhibition.

The artists are Phoebe Adams (Phippsburg), Sachiko Akiyama (Skowhegan), Marcia Annenberg (Boothbay Harbor), Steven Baines (Portland), MJ Blanchette (Kittery Point), Sarah Bouchard (Arundel), Philip Brou (South Portland), Emily Brown (Montville), Cole Caswell (Peaks Island), Scott Davis (Rockland), Morris David Dorenfeld (Spruce Head), Lynn Duryea (Deer Isle and South Portland), Carly Glovinski (Berwick), Tonee Harbert (Portland), Richard Iammarino (Rockland), Kayla Mohammadi (Walpole), Ann H. Mohnkern (Yarmouth and Phippsburg), Paul Oberst (Freedom), Kate Russo (Portland), Claire Seidl (Rangeley), Gail Skudera (Lewiston), Richard Van Buren (Eastport), George Wardlaw (Portland), Kathy Weinberg (Morrill), Andrew White, (Union). 780 artists submitted work for this year's Biennial.

The CMCA Biennial Exhibition typically takes place in the fall of even-numbered years. The concept of an open juried competition at CMCA dates back to 1978 when then director Ben Goldsmith presented the annual Juried Exhibition. It was the only continuing statewide juried exhibition until the Portland Museum of Art introduced its first Biennial in 1998. Since then, CMCA and the PMA have presented Biennials in alternating years.

The jurors for the 2016 Biennial were Christine Berry, director of Berry Campbell Gallery, New York City, and John Yau, noted writer, poet, and art critic for Hyperallergic. Berry said in a news release, "The artistic community in Maine has a long-standing tradition of excellence and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art will continue to tell this important story with the 2016 Biennial. John Yau and I had the difficult task of narrowing down a large stellar group of artists to a finely curated few. The review process took much longer than I anticipated because of the quality level of the applicants. It has been a wonderful experience for all involved and I look forward to seeing our selections in the CMCA's much anticipated new building this fall."

In describing the review process, Yau states, "I thought about the many different artists who have lived in Maine while I was looking at this year's submissions. The many marvelous portfolios that I saw made it extremely difficult for Christine Berry and me to winnow down our selection. It was great working with Christine. I think the Center for Maine Contemporary Art will do much to change the culture of the state, and the Biennial is one of the ways it will do this as it brings together as well as celebrates members of the Maine arts community."

The 2016 CMCA Biennial exhibition will be on view at CMCA from November 4, 2016 — January 24, 2017. As the first biennial in its new home, CMCA will be dedicating all 5,500 square feet of display space in the three galleries to the exhibition.

CMCA is grateful for the generous support of Allen Insurance and Financial and CHUBB for their support of the 2016 Biennial Exhibition.