23rd Biennale of Sydney sees artists and collectives from 33 countries focus on water, ecology and climate

The 23rd Biennale of Sydney - opening free to the public from 12th March to 13th June 2022 - has today announced it will present over 330 artworks by 89 participants in a series of 400 events and exhibitions united by their focus on water, ecology and climate.

The Biennale’s theme, rivus, meaning stream in Latin, has been developed and realised by a Curatorium comprised of Artistic Director and Colombian curator José Roca and co-curators Paschal Daantos Berry, Anna Davis, Hannah Donnelly and Talia Linz.

As chief curator of Brazil’s 8th Bienal do Mercosul in 2011, Roca said climate change somehow didn’t seem as urgent then. “It does now.”

Audiences will experience large-scale immersive installations, site specific projects and living works by international participants at veues including Art Gallery of New South Wales, Barangaroo including The Cutaway, Circular Quay, Information + Cultural Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, National Art School in partnership with Artspace, The Rocks and Pier 2/3 at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.

Participants include Kiki Smith, Marguerite Humeau, Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe, John Gerrard, Jumana Emil Abboud and Ackroyd & Harvey alongside Australian participants such as Badger Bates, Clare Milledge, Julie Gough and D Harding. The list of participants extends beyond the realm of the visual arts and includes bodies of water and their custodians around the world including Australia, Bangladesh and Ecuador.

The Curatorium advises ‘rīvus is articulated around a series of conceptual wetlands situated along waterways of the Gadigal, Barramatagal and Cabrogal peoples. These imagined ecosystems are populated by artworks, experiments and research, responding to our connections, and disconnections, with water.

Rivers have been the ways of communication and the givers of life for entire communities and a growing number of jurisdictions around the world are granting rivers legal personhood rights. As we see waterways having a voice in the courtroom, we wanted to extend this further into the public sphere with our exhibition. Many of the Biennale of Sydney participants have worked with waterways, local and international, to share their stories and raise these important conversations.

Participants will investigate the ecologies sustained by waterways worldwide. This can be seen in works like Marjetica Potrč’s collaboration with Wiradjuri Elder Uncle Ray Woods which tells the story of two rivers: the Soča in Slovenia and the Galari (Lachlan River); these works will be shown alongside Brazilian artist Caio Reisewitz mural-sized collage, which references the aquifer under the Amazon jungle. D Harding’s exploration of ancestral waterways with the local community has inspired a new carving work. The Australian premiere of The Great Animal Orchestra, a major installation created by American soundscape ecologist Bernie Krause and United Visual Artists, will immerse audiences in the sounds of vulnerable habitats in Africa, North America, the Pacific Ocean and the Amazon River, whilst French artist Marguerite Humeau will present a new sculptural commission envisioning a world in which mass extinction has accelerated to a point of no return.’

Barbara Moore, Chief Executive, Biennale of Sydney notes “This year’s Biennale is going to feel great to experience. The city will be vibrant with artworks and events that invite everyone to come together and connect with each other, celebrating the participants and their stories and honouring the diversity of thoughts and ideas that empower us all. We are thrilled to unveil these incredible works and encourage visitors to flow between the venues, to see and feel different perspectives on our connections with waterways and each other.’

NSW Minister for the Arts, Ben Franklin added “The Biennale of Sydney is always a highlight in the city’s cultural calendar and the NSW Government is delighted to support such a timely exhibition. We’re excited to welcome visitors to Sydney to experience the 23rd edition which features an impressive line-up of international and local participants from over 30 countries around the world, putting NSW artistic excellence front and centre on the world stage.”

Exhibition entry is free. For everyone’s health and safety, COVID-19 vaccination (age 16+) at all venues and masks (age 12+) at indoor venues are requirements for all visitors. 

For further information on the Biennale of Sydney, please visit biennaleofsydney.art.

Image: Sydney Biennale 2022 John Gerrard's Leaf Work Mirror Pavilion