The Bank Windhoek Triennale was one of the major exhibitions of the National Art Gallery of Namibia during 2008. This is a special event brought artists together on one platform to show case their talent and visual  academy. It is true that art is a language and it communicates to the viewer. The Triennale brought different languages  together.
The Triennale was judged by the panel of judges with expertise in the field of art. It was graced by an international judge who made these remarks “judging must not conflict with the public. It is important to meet the public’s opinion, not to confront the public”. He sampled the digital medium in  his remarks. 

The Triennale is a competition as well. It gives artists a chance to challenge the meaning of art and how the public observe it. Today the questions like “what is art?” and “what is an artist”? are not easily answered.

According to scholars of art, “there is no single definition of art” The art historian believes that the idea of defining art is so remote (today)”, they do not think anyone would dare to do it. For example who can define the art installation in a way which everybody is able to understand. However the artist will continue producing art because it is their talent and skill.

Triennale exhibition has different mediums, abstract work, realism, digital, surrealism, mixed-media, drawings, installation and prints. It is important for the viewers,  art scholars and researchers to read these mediums with a critical eye. It is true that we struggle with meaning of some images but when all is said and done, “art” remains significant to human beings and the idea that anything can be art, and that no form of art is truer than any other, strikes us and lives us with doubting mind towards art. 

Many students want to start with abstract art and many of them soon give it up. The reason for this is that abstract art is difficult. It is difficult in the sense that it requires artistic discipline, knowledge and certain amount of expertise Painting techniques, usually acquired through training in more formal aspects of art.

\Abstract art does promise more freedom of expression. It does allow a more expansive and intuitive creativity. It has been around for a long time. For example Cezanne painted essentially abstract even though his subject matter was more realistic.

Many of the 20^th century artists painted abstract work. The latest is Jackson Pollock (Splashing on canvas).Those who read history of art will remember that there were artist who rebelled against that art was meant to reflect the everyday life. This was shown by drawing Still-life and portraits. The artists then started to imagine a disfigured portrait, or orange. Everything looked like shapes. Artist like Paul Klee developed his own vocabulary of form, symbol and colour as well as technique to express abstract art. Picasso was the innovator in the world of abstract. 

Most our artist in the Triennale exhibition depicted the language of the Picassos, and Cezanne, which means that artists are well trained in the field of art.

The up-coming artist should come and visit the Gallery of purpose on learning and the Curator is available to give a talk about Triennale exhibition.