With 17th Biennale, Sydney plays host to thought-provoking works from around the world
By Gabrielle McCarthy, Operations & Program Services Manager, Australia
When you think of Sydney, you probably envision the Australian city’s iconic Sydney Opera House. But when you join Grand Circle this summer on our Australia, New Zealand and Fiji vacation, you’ll have the opportunity to experience Sydney’s other cultural treasures as well.
Sydney is celebrating its 17th Biennale from May 12 through August 1—the country’s largest visual arts event. This three-month exhibition showcases some of the newest and most innovative contemporary art hailing not only from Australia, but from 82 other countries around the world.
Events are being hosted in the city’s major art venues, including museums and art galleries, as well as public areas. Visitors can attend public tours, listen to international guest lecturers and artist talks, view film screenings, and go to various other special events around Sydney. And the best part is, most of these events are free to the public, including artist talks and performances. Some events do require early bookings, so be sure to visit the event’s website for a full list of programs.
In its 35-year history (Sydney has the fourth oldest biennale in the world), the Biennale has hosted almost 1,350 artists from around the world. The event has quadrupled in size over the past decade and has found a permanent spot on Australia’s calendar for the arts every other year. In 2008 alone, more than 400,000 visitors attended Sydney’s Biennale.
The main goal of the exhibition is to promote new ideas and challenge the norm in the world of art. Artists, visitors, and all attending the Biennale are encouraged to practice their freedom of expression. Because of its “history of firsts,” Sydney’s biennale has had its fair share of debate and controversy over the years.
According to the event’s website, “The Biennale of Sydney has the reputation of producing exhibitions that give our community new ways of looking at the world and new ways of seeing and understanding art. Each event enlivens our city’s public spaces with contemporary art and stimulates people to engage with Sydney’s spectacular museums and cultural centres. The events have proved to be a natural fit with Sydney, reflecting the blend of experiment and enjoyment of innovation that has long been a hallmark of Australia's largest city.”
Because the Biennale has brought some of the most diverse and talented contemporary artists to Australia, this event has become one of the most well-known international festivals of contemporary visual art and multimedia.
Explore Sydney’s historic—and artistic—wonders on our Australia, New Zealand and Fiji vacation.