EVENTS: Celebrating the 21st Biennale of Sydney

My hope is that the artworks in this Biennale will serve as a catalyst for thought for all of us.

Mami Kataoka

Mami Kataoka, Artistic Director
Brook Andrew
What’s Left Behind, 2018
Mixed-media installation
Dimensions variable

 

Contemporary art is taking over Sydney, with city locations celebrating this year’s 21st Biennale of Sydney theme; SUPERPOSITION: Equilibrium & Engagement.

For three months, a selection of innovative and thought provoking art pieces will take residence in Sydney, with a combination of Australian and International artists coming together to share personal histories and engagement with broader global communities.

2018 marks the 45th anniversary of the event, which began in 1973 as an opening celebration of the Sydney Opera House.

The original partner of the event, Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW), will be joined by Artspace, Carriageworks, Cockatoo Island, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA), Sydney Opera House and 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art in hosting a series of exhibitions.

A highlight of the event is the commissioning of five sculptures representative of the five elements of the universe according to Wuxing philosophy, and exemplary of the Biennale’s curatorial concept, by Australian interdisciplinary artist Brook Andrew.

Andrew’s works can be found alongside 17 other artists at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.

Artistic Director Mami Kataoka hopes the event will stir creativity and critical responses in viewers; “The artists in the 21st Biennale of Sydney have been chosen to offer a panoramic view of how opposing interpretations can come together in a state of equilibrium. My hope is that the artworks in this Biennale will serve as a catalyst for thought for all of us.”

Engagement is encouraged, with public programs including guided tours, artist/curator-led talks, panels, screenings and workshops until the exhibition’s conclusion on June 11.

For more information about the free event, visit: https://www.biennaleofsydney.art

Header Image: Jun Yang Xīní / Xuělí Blue Room, 2018 (detail) installation and printed wallpaper.