As our Multitude of Adoring Fans already know, the 2013 ArtVenice Biennale attracted more than 800 entries from all around the world.

The quality of the work was stunning.

Viewing all the amazing work being done out there made our hearts happy to be members of this global Tribe Called Artists.

Choosing from so much great work was a challenge – but it had to be done.

Even harder was choosing a winner amongst so many talented souls – so we kind of wimped out.

We chose two!

Both of the Grand Prize Winners are extremely talented, dedicated to their calling, and doing work that only they could do.

We are excited to share their work with you.

Today we would like to introduce you to  the first of our two Grand Prize Winners - Clint Imboden, a California-based multimedia artist with a diverse catalogue of compelling work.

As good red-blooded Americans, we were first seduced by his gorgeous series of resin-based pieces titled Colors of War. Luscious, candy-colored, lethal. Perfection.

Can we get fries with that?

This series proved to be just the beginning of Clint’s strong and provocative body of work. Feast your eyes on these images from a sampling of his extensive installation history:

And his individual sculptural pieces are just delightfully demented:

Pretty cool, huh? Here’s Clint’s artist statement:

I come to making art with the perspective of a therapist. Just as a good therapist can act as a catalyst for change in a client, good art should elicit a strong reaction in the audience, provoking them to explore the reasons why they've been affected.

I usually find my materials at local flea markets. I start with the artifacts of daily living, things that most people discard or overlook: battered globes, worn shoes, dilapidated tools.  I’m drawn to old materials because they foster purposeful imperfection in my art, an attribute that’s connected to their previous lives. I use them for their connotative, associative or narrative possibilities. My installation work is tactile and handmade; as an artist, I focus on process and on topical, issue-based content.

Viewing my artwork is not meant to be a passive experience; it involves reading, deciphering, taking the initiative to engage physically and psychically with text and objects.  I use materials that challenge my audience to consider multiple references in order to understand the full meaning of a piece. I want people to be caught up in the experience of my work, just as I am, in making it. My goal is to have them come away from an encounter with the work knowing something new about themselves.

 See more of his work in our web gallery devoted to him and him alone:

http://the-biennial-project.com/2013artVeniceWinner.aspx

For even more, check out Clint’s website:

clintimboden.com