New Bedford artist to be honored with prestigious international award
NEW BEDFORD — Director of the Co-Creative Center Dena Haden will be honored with the prestigious Biennale Internazionale Dell’Arte Contemporane in Italy on Oct. 14, for her work in installation and fiber art.
“I’m really excited, shocked by it, too, it’s an honor to be part of it and be invited,” Haden said.
Also known as the Florence Biennale, the eight-day event brings together some of the world's most esteemed contemporary artists. Since its inception in 1997, this grand art exhibition has showcased the works of luminaries such as Marina Abramović, David Hockney, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Gilbert and George and Anish Kapoor.
Haden not only will be recognized for her leadership in the local arts community, but equally her accomplishments as a fine artist.
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From New Bedford to Italy
Haden said her art explores the natural life cycle of materials as they transform and leave their imprints. She creates moments in time to honor nature. Her works are built in a very slow meditative process allowing each piece to unfold; embodying an open vessel to hold space, light, and moments of healing and what that expression might look like in a physical form.
“These pieces are based on my experience in nature, just observing the way spider webs are woven and treats create certain networks,” she said.
“It’s kind of like an ode to Mother Nature.”
She received her BFA from UMass Dartmouth and her MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. She has an extensive exhibition record with solo and group exhibitions in Boston, Philadelphia, and around the Northeast of the United States.
Haden has also exhibited internationally in Europe and Japan and worked as an artist in residence at Arrowmount in Tennessee, Baroque Blue Residency in Nardo, Italy, Maria Mitchell in Nantucket, and Primo Piano Projects in Lecce, Italy.
How Haden was invited to participate
She caught the attention of the event organizers after a two-week residency in Italy, invited to participate by curator Professor Pasquale Celona, a member of the International Selection Committee.
“It’s always been on my radar, but I never thought I would be selected, so it’s all really exciting,” Haden said, adding she will be in Italy to install her artwork and be on-site during the entire event.
Haden's Italian adventure was made possible in part due to her recognition as an ARTnet #NBCreative awardee, a program funded by the City of New Bedford’s ARPA (America Rescue Plan Act). The official sponsor of her work at the Florence Biennale is New Bedford Creative, a dynamic program of the New Bedford Economic Development Council. This support underscores the growing influence and international reputation of the arts emanating from New Bedford.
“Dena Haden's participation in the Florence Biennale is a remarkable achievement not only for the artist herself but also for the vibrant arts community of New Bedford,” sums up #NBCreative Director Margo Saulnier.
“We look forward to witnessing her artistic journey continue to flourish on the global stage, making waves in the world of contemporary art.”
Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on Twitter: @ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford's Dena Haden honored with Florence Biennale in Italy
