Biennials and International Fairs

This listing suggests a range of biennials and international art events. It is possible to view the current and archived events and to preview plans for future events at most sites listed here.

What's it all about? - International biennials provide opportunities for artists from many areas of the world. All the International Biennials or Art Fairs represent a substantial well-coordinated financial investment. "Exhibitors are selected by a committee based on the recommendations of galleries, curators and other art professionals whose expertise and networks ensure that (the event, 'Preview Berlin' for example) plays host to a multifaceted spectrum of original emerging contemporary art."

Be sure to explore individual artist works as well as the programs and special exhibition features. "

For example, click here to explore visual impressions at: Art / Basel / Miami Beach where - "Listeners are provided wireless headphones as they stroll through the (botanical) gardens to a program featuring music and sound by, for, and about flowers, insects, and birds . . . . . . . . (to) view public artworks via boat . . . . . . . . (there are) Art Positions | 22 young galleries present upcoming artists in converted shipping containers . . . . . . . . Art Bars . . . . . . . . (To view) Private Collections . . . . . . . . And (you can visit) the 200 galleries presenting art of the 20th and 21st century!"

"Art Basel essentially invented Miami Basel to cater to North American and South American capital," said Nadja Swarovski, of the famous crystal manufacturing company, who sponsors one of the week's big events. Ms. Swarovski was referring to Miami Basel's parent entity, a respected traditional art fair in Switzerland. "The world is flat now," Ms. Swarovski said. "The borders are breaking down. Cultures are merging. . . . Little about art collecting as a competitive high stakes game may be new. Yet the broadening of the consumer base is, and so is the inescapable truth that the trade is now substantially driven by marquee auctions and art fairs . . . . Galloping democratization has struck the once rarefied hobby of art collecting, for instance, as the dealers first found and then fell on the reserves of capital that were lying around untapped in places like Mexico, India, the Persian Gulf states and Brazil. " (Private jets are leased to fly to the event, with one airline alone booking 216 flights.) - (NYTimes 12/10/2006: "Miami Basel: An Art Costco for Billionaires")

Salons and Conversations with Distinguished museum directors, art collectors, prominent artists, architects, and publishers: "'Modern Design: Is It Collectible Contemporary Art?' . . . . . . . . 'Art Practices in the Public Domain' . . . . . . . . 'Global Positioning of Collections of Latin American Art' . . . . . . . . 'Has the Art World Gotten too Big?' . . . . . . . . 'Architects and Architecture: Objects of Desire' . . . . . . . . 'New Initiatives of a Non-for-Profit Model in China' . . . . . . . . 'Can Art Change the World? Is the Market Killing Art?' . . . . . . . . 'Practical and Conceptual Considerations for Today's Collectors' . . . . . . . . Christine Macel, Curator at Centre Georges Pompidou regarding 'Exhibitions vs. Biennales' . . . . . . . . Art Talk with Chuck Close, Artist from New York and Norman Rosenthal, Exhibitions Secretary at Royal Academy of Art in London; Asia Society and Museum, New York on 'Contemporary Art from Asia' . . . . . . . . Book Launch for 'The Uncertain States of America Reader | Artistic Practice and Cultural Politics in America since 2000' . . . . . . . . Book Launch | 'A Principality of Its Own: Forty Years of Visual Arts at the Americas Society' published by the Americas Society, New York in conjunction with the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros and the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University. Co-editors Gabriela Rangel, Director of Visual Arts at the Americas Society, and José Luis Falconi, Art Forum Curator at the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies . . . . . . . ."

And - "Art Basel will partner with The Miami Children's Museum to bring this wonderful opportunity to the artists and collectors of tomorrow. Children enrolled in the program will participate in arts and crafts, art history and story telling."

Museums and the Web 2007 - The international conference for culture and heritage on-line - April 11-14, 2007 in San Francisco, California.

Universes in Universe - Visual arts of Africa, Asia, Latin America/Caribbean within the context of international art processes

PLUG-IN News - Art Fairs

Art Cologne - "The field of exhibitors includes many internationally renowned galleries. The exhibitors' stands will present a comprehensive overview of the art of the 20th and 21st centuries --from modernism to the most recent works by contemporary artists. In addition to important works from the post-war period, the exhibitors are increasingly focusing on contemporary art.

An integral feature of Art Cologne is "Open Space", a curated outdoor sale exhibition area for contemporary art. Open Space premiered last year and was very well received by exhibitors, visitors and journalists.

Art Cologne reflects an awareness of its traditions, which include in particular the promotion of new art and young artists. The work of young artists is promoted by the "New Talents" programme, which is supported by the Federal Commissioner for Cultural and Media Affairs, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the City of Cologne and Koelnmesse. A jury will select the "Best of the Best", and the winner will be honoured with the Art Cologne Young Artist Prize, which was presented for the first time in 2005.

The "New Contemporaries" programme, which is sponsored by the SK Culture Foundation of the Sparkasse KšlnBonn, promotes new galleries. The programme allows galleries to take part in ART COLOGNE at reasonable prices.

Supporting and promoting new art and young artists isn't the only high priority at Art Cologne, however. Beginning this year, the fair's commitment to the entire international art market will be underlined by "Hidden Treasures", which will be an annual programme intended to introduce as many as five artists who are 40 or older. These "hidden treasures" will be artists whose place on the art market has not yet stabilised , although their work is relevant and important from an art historical standpoint: In short, desirable art at rather attractive prices."

Affordable Art Fair - New York City. "for new and established collectors to discover and buy paintings, drawings, sculptures, video, photography and limited edition prints from distinguished galleries, all priced from $100 - $5000. This year the Fair will host more than 60 galleries with approximately a quarter of the exhibitors from Europe, Canada and South America."

Scope - Hamptons, London, Miami - "to demystify the buying process of contemporary art by producing international art fairs that nurture cutting-edge art and emerging culture. The fairs bring together up-and-coming dealers, curators and artists in a relaxed atmosphere. The exhibitions, in combination with -scope Programs (e.g., Cinema-scope, -scopeSound, panel discussions, Performance-scope), cultivate a unique forum for contemporary art and emerging culture. In this way, -scope makes itself an invaluable resource for established and burgeoning collectors, as well as for museums, corporate curators, and the general public." - Programs: TV, Sound, Cinema, Panel Discussions, Silent Auction, Performance

FRIEZE Art Fair - "The Frieze Art Fair takes place every October in Regent's Park, London. It features over 150 of the most exciting contemporary art galleries in the world. As well as these exhibitors, the fair includes specially commissioned artists' projects and an ambitious talks programme."

KUNST 2006 - Zürich

ZOO Art Fair - "Zoo Art Fair returns to London Zoo for its third year as one of the most significant international platforms for emerging contemporary art talent. This year the Fair moves into a 1200 square metre marquee and will house a total of 46 under 5 year old commercial and non-commercial arts organisations, including galleries, project spaces, artist collectives, curatorial groups and publications. As well as showcasing the best young spaces from the UK, this year in collaboration with VOLTAshow the Fair has invited 15 spaces from Berlin, Los Angeles and Mexico. . . . . Zoo Art Fair identifies and supports young commercial and non-commercial art organisations on an international platform. Exhibitors include galleries, project spaces, artist collectives, curatorial groups and publications. Zoo Art Fair is a non-profit entreprise, sponsored by established collectors, galleries, arts businesses and public funders."

Grand Palais & Louvre - fiac - "Numerous synergies with the city of Paris, in resonance with its urban environment and cultural venues, will be developed (exterior projects, associated eventsÉ). This configuration underlines Fiac's ambition to durably found its identity on the criteria of prestige, selectivity, innovation and centrality."

ART FORUM BERLIN - "For the tenth time . . . . shows contemporary art, fresh, energetic, full of quality - the best artists and their galleries from Berlin, Germany, Europe, the USA, Latin America, Asia and Australia."

Preview Berlin - "Preview Berlin was launched in 2005 as a joint effort by four galleries in Berlin - Fšrderkoje¨, Galerie Jarmuschek und Partner, Galerie Kuttner Siebert and loop - raum fŸr aktuelle kunst. Administered by a highly professional organisation, Preview Berlin offers low-priced booth space for the introduction and promotion of high quality, emerging contemporary art. . . . . Exhibitors are selected by a committee based on the recommendations of galleries, curators and other art professionals whose expertise and networks ensure that Preview Berlin plays host to a multifaceted spectrum of original emerging contemporary art. . . . . This gives art collectors, art lovers and art professionals the opportunity to view and discover an extensive range of exciting new work from around the world gathered in one location. The format is of great benefit not only to buyers, collectors and aficionados, but also to the participating galleries and their artists.Preview Berlin coincides with the ART FORUM Berlin as an enrichment of the already established art fair market."

Bienal de Valencia - "Through the work of leading artists and the reflections of intellectuals, academics and students, the Valencia Biennial in 2005 underlined the huge importance of information and the importance of individual consciousness and our awareness of one of the most complex problems our planet is facing. . . . in 2007 the focus was on water."

Tate Triennial - 2006

PERFORMA - "A broad range of ideas and sensibilities across disciplines and media."

Fairs, Dealer Exhibitions, Auctions, Museum Exhibitions, Seminars - 'Orientations' - The Magazine for Collectors and Connoisseurs of Asian Art)

The Renaissance 2001 Project - A network of artists formed by collaborators from around the world in 1996. Pursuing artistic activity and bringing it to a global level using the Internet, we seek a way to set art free and reconstruct the relationship between art, culture, and society. New members and collaborators in every country are sought. To get involved, join the mailing list below or send email to: info@r2001.com [ Japanese Version ] [ Chinese Version ]

Carnegie International (Pittsburgh, PA) - "In art, grappling with such grand ideas as God, free will, immortality, and ethics was stock in trade throughout history. During the past twenty years, however, an abiding interest in the most prosaic aspects of daily life has served as a strategy for making art relevant to a broader, less elite audience. All this being equal, at this moment in the United States, our undeniable taste for the banal does not quash our need for art that is not merely extracted from aspects of the everyday, but rather wholeheartedly participates in it by wrestling with its fundamental mysteries. . . . . " (From the Curator's Introduction, Laura Hoptman - 2004-05)

Whitney Biennial - Whitney Museum of American Art's ongoing surveys of contemporary American art. "Motivated by the shifting character of American art, increasingly violated margins between traditional media, and the blurring of conventional distinctions, the present all-media Biennial system was initiated in 1973."

Liverpool - "Building on the critical acclaim of the event in 2002, the third Liverpool Biennial launches on 18 September 2004. In 2002, over 180,000 visits were recorded at the UK's only biennial of contemporary visual art, which hosted 30 visual art exhibitions, involving 300 artists from 36 countries. In 2004, the character and culture of Liverpool will once again be at the heart of the event, underlined by the organisers' insistence on an innovative collaborative process for the commissioning of new artworks for the international exhibition."

FotoFest - "A Platform for Art and Ideas - FotoFest¨ created the first international Biennial of Photography and Photo-related Art in the United States. FotoFest ¨ is an international non-profit photographic arts and education organization based in Houston, Texas. FotoFest's purpose is to promote the exchange of art and ideas through international programs and the presentation of photographic art. Our programs work globally and locally, bringing together an international vision of art and cross-cultural exchange with a commitment to community involvement and the enrichment of Houston's cultural resources. In addition to its internationally known Biennial, FotoFest sponsors Inter-Biennial programs - exhibitions, international exchange programs, and publications. In grades 3-12, FotoFest operates a year-round classroom education program, Literacy Through Photography, using photography to strengthen writing skills, visual literacy, and cognitive learning."

International Art Biennial of Buenos Aires (organized by the National Museum of Fine Arts) - "For over a month it will be possible to attend shows of consummate artists and of the next generation. This Biennial does not attempt to compete with the renowned Venice or Sao Paulo Biennials. Rather, the goal we are pursuing is akin to that of the Whitney Museum's Biennial in New York: to educate our artists, make them known by art critics and people interested in the visual arts from Latin-America interested in recent works of contemporary art. Art has been a uniting factor for human beings ever since our ancestors painted the caverns of Altamira and Lascaux, twenty-two thousand years ago. Art has survived time and struggles, division among men. It is humanity's highest common denominator, it's never ending source of harmony." (Universes in Universe - Visual arts of Africa, Asia, Latin America/Caribbean within the context of international art processes)

The Biennial of the African Contemporary Art - Dakar,Senegal. "For a dozen years now, the Biennial of Contemporary African Art has been offering, edition after edition, a space for the presentation and legitimization of contemporary creativity in Africa. An initiative of the Senegalese State, Dak'Art expresses the political will of placing culture at the heart of development strategies in Senegal and brings its contribution to the implementation of the African Union. Dak'Art is a major event for enhancing and promoting current African creativity."

Sharjah International Biennial - (Sharjah Art Museums and Expo Centre Sharjah, U.A.E.) - "Sharjah is the third largest of the 7 constituent emirates of the United Arab Emirates. It rates as the cultural centre of the Federation. In 1998, Sharjah was UNESCO cultural capital of the Arab World. Since 1993, the Department of Culture and Information of the Emirate of Sharjah has hosted the international Art Biennial in the city of that same name. The aim is to encourage contacts between artists, and art institutions and organizations of the Arab countries and to promote exchange with art scenes in other parts of the world. This accounts for a high proportion of Arab artists in all previous editions."

Museum of Contemporary Art of the Art Biennial of Cerveira (Portugal) - "The Programme of Cerveira das Artes, now with new facilities, extends up to the Valley of Minho and beyond its frontiers. It will be an Industrial Centre with the set up of workshops in multiple art sections, numbered and signed by its authors, capable of responding to your order of editions in diverse areas such as Screen-printing, Engraving, Ceramics, Stained Glass, Tapestry, Sculpture, Casting in Bronze, Electronic Art, etc., and will allow a growth in the economic and social development in the area, locally- with the creation of workstations, and nationally - with the export of multiple arts, contributing to the expansion of arts and of the Portuguese culture.The Art Biennial of Cerveira, motor of cultural development, opens its doors to the creative artists of the whole world, providing them work conditions with its House of the Artist(Casa do Aritsta) and its Art Workshops; facilities for publishing one's work with its Art Galleries; research facilities through international exchanges in diverse areas such as Literature, Music, Theatre, Dance and Graphic Arts with the aid of a protocol with "Unesco International Foundation for the promotion of Culture" - Paris (www.unesco.org/culture/ifpc) Scholarships for artists, Res Artis(www.resartis.org) and training conditions with art courses, discussions and debates. The Museum of Contemporary Art of the Art Biennial of Cerveira which represents most of the great Portuguese artists and some foreign artists as well, allows a simple visitor to acknowledge the evolution of Plastic art during the last 25 years."

Analogous Landscapes - II International Art Biennial-Buenos Aires Museo Nacional de Bellas Arte 2002 - "C5's (Theory as Product) research into the epistemic function of human cooperation continues with a new project that utilizes GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and GPS (Global Positioning Systems) technology. The proposed artwork takes form as a comparative analysis of Mt. Fuji in Japan and Mt. Shasta in California. Both are active volcanoes selected because of their cultural significance, topographic and visual similarity. (There are many analogous landscapes and the exhibition will include other examples.) The project was initiated at the Second International Art Biennial Buenos Aires in November of 2002 and will be completed in 2004. The first incarnation of the project involves the fabrication of two small sculptural models (25-cm diameter/12-14 cm height) of the topographical features of Mt. Fuji and Mt. Shasta. Each object is produced directly from DEM (Digital Elevation Data) obtained from the NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Japanese ASTER satellite topographic mapping projects. A computer controlled milling machine (CNC) is used for fabrication directly from the data source. The objects are in essence, actualized database objects. The installation includes supporting materials that contextualize the objectives and trajectory of the project. In 2004, C5 will enable two teams equipped with satellite telecom and instrumentation integrating GPS tracking and DEM terrain information to climb the mountains in an experiment of multi-site cooperation and navigation. The teams will ascend the mountains while deliberately maintaining identical elevation. To accomplish this task each team will select appropriate navigational paths in concert with the other. Custom software, support instrumentation and endurance gear will be designed to facilitate the objective of simultaneous ascent. The final exhibition will present all artifacts associated with the enterprise including the original Mt. Fuji and Mt Shasta data objects with the navigational paths engraved."

The 9th International Cairo Biennial: pass me a balloon - "A serious-looking fifty-year-old man is walking around the International Cairo Biennial of contemporary art with a raincoat and a balloon in his hands. He dribbles past the old pyramids, smoothly slides on sand (spread here and there probably to evoke Oriental deserts), and observes in a puzzled way some images of horses hanging on the walls. The pink balloon that is walking along with him like a flag carries a quotation in Arabic from Anais Nin "We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are." Cominciamo bene. . . . " (Iolanda Pensa, freelance critic and author based in Milan, Italy) (Universes in Universe)

Manifesta - "The European Biennial of Contemporary Art, was initiated, and is supported, by the International Foundation Manifesta (IMF) with offices in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The IMF aims to create opportunities for artists to present their work in a non-competitive environment and to facilitate the emergence of new ideas and forms of artistic expression. Manifesta explores the entire mental and geographical territory of Europe and aims to establish a close dialogue between specific cultural and artistic situations and the broader, international context of contemporary art, theory and politics in a changing society. To this end, Manifesta has opted for a nomadic existence, relocating its operational base to a different city or region of Europe every two years (1996 Rotterdam, 1998 Luxembourg, 2000 Ljubljana, 2002 Frankfurt am Main, 2004 Donostia-San Sebastian). Thus, it embodies the notion of a constantly expanding network, based on the transfer of 'know how', as a product of work in progress. The concept of Manifesta is re-examined, each time that the biennial moves on to a new city or region. As an outward expression of this process of renewal, the Board of the IFM and its new partners appoint a fresh team of curators from different parts of Europe, at the start of each new biennium."
ALSO: http://www.manifesta.es/index_eng.htm

Art Basel - "The annual Art Basel International art show in June is the world's premier fair for 20th- and 21st-century art. Leading galleries from all the continents bring over 5,000 works by 1,500 artists to it. 50,000 art collectors, art dealers, artists, curators, journalists and art lovers take part in the annual family reunion of the art world. They come to see the most rigorously juried selection of what the international art market has to offer, and to meet the insiders and stars of the art scene. Art Basel is unique for the high quality and unparalleled variety of works on display."

Berlin Bennial for Contemporary Art - "The aim of the association is to organise a representative, international exhibition of contemporary art in Berlin every two years and to attract attention to less established younger artists. The exhibition's original and most important institutional partner is the KW Institute for Contemporary Art, which regularly provides the Berlin Biennale with the use its exhibition spaces . . . . The Berlin Biennial has established itself as an open space that experiments, identifies and critically examines the latest trends in the art world. The innovative character of this "art lab," which tries and tests the greenest shoots in the art world is to be expanded, with the particular aim of giving young artists the opportunity to introduce themselves to broad sections of the public. Although the exhibition has an essentially public character, it also has an inner forum in which event organisers, artists, curators, selected critics, cooperation partners, sponsors and promotors committed to the advancement of this association work at shaping the exhibition and its seismographic interpretation of current cultural and social developments."

Art Forum Berlin - "The International Fair for Contemporary Art, Welcomes exhibitors and visitors from around the world into the city each autumn. From video and photography to painting, sculpture and installation, production in every media is represented."

Art Cologne - International fair for modern and contemporary art, Cologne - "Since its founding in 1967, the Cologne International Art Fair has been flagship for all international art fairs, and in terms of its composition and atmosphere, is unique in the world. This status as well as the quality and balance of its range are maintained by an international selection committee. The number of participants, which is restricted to about 250 internationally renowned galleries, guarantees a transparent structure, but at the same time offers a comprehensive overview of the 20th century art scene - from Classical Moderns up to the latest art productions. Apart from the classics the focal points of the range are 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's art."

Art Brussels - Contemporary Art Fair - Established in 1968 by the Belgian Association of Contemporary Art Galleries, artbrussels gained an international reputation for its cutting edge profile and the high standard of international galleries presented. Today, 150 established international galleries and young emerging galleries, selected by an international committee, present the best contemporary art has to offer to no fewer than 31.000 collectors, museum directors, critics and art lovers from all over Europe. The lively art scene in Belgium, with numerous internationally renowned contemporary artists and the biggest concentration of contemporary art collectors in Europe makes Brussels the ideal meeting place for professionals and art lovers alike.

art frankfurt, Frankfurt - "With its clear structure and programme focus, Art Frankfurt provides an annual concise overview of current developments in art production and new trends in the contemporary art market. The fair has been structured into three separate exhibition areas: Modern, Avantgarde and Edition. The different focal point of each area enables collectors and art professionals to quickly survey what is on offer, while providing guidance and orientation to amateur art lovers. Galleries and art editors will be exhibiting at Art Frankfurt, including some of the biggest and most distinguished names in the art world whose work has long been synonymous with quality and consistency. As a particular feature, the fair introduces promising and original portfolios from newly established galleries whose presence at Frankfurt is their first ever exposure to a broad audience and whose names one would do well to remember in the future."

Ideologia - Nordic Biennial of Contemporary Art, Göteborg - "As its name suggests Ideologia has as its objective to present artists that deals with questions of a social, political and ideological nature, i.e. an art with a large sense of humanism. Ideologia is a platform for artists which has the courage not to conform their art. It wants to be an alternative to the mainstream academic art world and its formalist esthetics. Ideologia intend to present new emerging artists, as well as artists who already have made their mark in contemporary art. This year Ideologia will show the international character of the art produced in the Nordic countries (i.e. Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). But international not in the sense of formal structure as much as in artistic attitude . . . . The world changes, and we believe that art and its system has to change too. This is one of our objectives: to promote the change that we believe is coming."

International Biennial, Istanbul - "From its first inception the Istanbul Festival has aimed at including in its programmes the finest examples of artistic creativity in all disciplines of art from both Turkey and abroad, as well as seminars, conferences and lectures. The Istanbul Festival was accredited as a member of European Festivals Association. In 27 years, the Festival has hosted world renowned artists & groups from La Scala Philharmonic (Muti), New York Philharmonic (Mehta & Masur) to Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Sawallisch); from Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Kremer) to Scottish Chamber Orchestra (Mackerras & Hickox); from Tokyo String Quartet to Hilliard Ensemble; from Aldo Ciccolini to Ivo Pogorelich; from Yehudi Menuhin to Itzhak Perlman; from Julian Lloyd Webber to Mischa Maisky; from Narciso Yepes to Christopher Parkening; from Leyla Gencer to Montserrat Caballé from Bolshoi Ballet to American Ballet Theatre." - In 1992, the Foundation was awarded the "Trophée Internationale des Arts et de la Culture" by Institut International de Promotion et de Prestige of UNESCO.

Documenta, Kassel - "Documenta is one of the most respectable exhibitions of contemporary art, taking place every five years in Kassel, Germany. Since documenta 5 in 1972, each exhibition concept is done by a different curator."

Frieze Art Fair, London - "150 galleries from around the world, the fair will be the focal point of the Autumn for anyone interested in contemporary art . . . Frieze Art Fair is brought to you by the publishers of frieze magazine. . . . We are pleased to be working with Deutsche Bank as the title sponsor of Frieze Art Fair."

Moscow World Fine Art Fair - "Founded by Yves Bouvier, Head of the Natural Le Coultre Group and creator of the Art Culture Studio, two years ago, the Moscow World Fine Art Fair is the rendez-vous for the world's leading dealers, the greatest collectors, the keenest professionals and the most passionate neophytes. This year, they will meet at the Manege, a legendary venue steeped in history, to purchase or admire outstanding objects of art."

Biennale d'art contemporain de Lyon - "Given the current proliferation of artists, this 7th Lyon Biennial will stress the layout of the works and the way the viewer perceives them. We want to call on the best there is in art: its impact as statement, its capacity to surprise and its emphasis on safeguarding the uniqueness of the event against a looming failure to differentiate. To achieve this our choice of works has been guided not by their literal truth or accuracy, but by the expressive means they harness: these are open-ended works that instead of simply representing the world, set out to play a part in inventing it." - (2004)

Madrid Abierto - "MADRID ABIERTO is a project within what is generically known as Public Art. In the words of its organizer, Ramon Parramon, its objective is to "stimulate creative work in determined places that relate that which is typical of the place and the time in which the creativity takes place. It is to stimulate and generate work processes which take place over time, to boost immersion in the place itself and to interact in a section of public space that has a bearing on the social environment. Madrid Abierto is a programme based on this premise of influencing the public sphere and uses different public areas of the city of Madrid as its stage, proposing new formats and using existing channels or infrastructures which get the general public involved, both in the process and in the search for other people."

Arco 07 and 08 - International contemporary art fair, Madrid - "The work on view covers the historical avant-gardes, classic contemporary and emerging art. Around 250 galleries from over 30 countries will be showing paintings, sculpture, installations, photography, video, new media art, drawings, multiples and editions."
http://www.ifema.es/ferias/arco/default.html

The Sculpture Biennial Münsterland - "This project, the Sculpture Biennial Münsterland, is intended as a permanent joint presentation which will connect latest tendencies in contemporary art to the characteristics of the region, making the Münsterland more attractive for tourists and for people interested in art. The four segments of the project are planned for 1999 in the district of Coesfeld, 2001 in the district of Steinfurt, 2003 in the district of Warendorf, and 2005 in the district of Borken. The Sculpture Biennial Münsterland must be seen in the context of the Münster sculpture projects of 1977, 1987 and 1997. It covers the decade up to the next Münster project which is likely to be in 2007. The concept behind the Sculpture Biennial Münsterland and its content will be an extension of the Münster approach but at the same time an alternative to it. The focus of the Sculpture Biennial Münsterland is not on urban but rural space. As a cooperative presentation, the individual art projects will not only be linked in terms of content but also organizationally, ensuring full on-site support of each project, and an even distribution of sculptures throughout the Münsterland."

Fiac - 35th edition October 23rd - 26th, 2008

ART Rotterdam - The international artfair of the Netherlands, Rotterdam - "The international selection committee has invited 73 participants from Germany, the UK, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, the US and Switzerland. The participants were selected for their daring programmes, their mentality and urge for renewal. The accent in past years was on the credo "quality in the widest sense" - the accent on this, the seventh fair, will also be on quality but on modern cutting edge art as well. Exciting, surprising art, giving visitors a good insight into current developments."

International Biennial of Contemporary Art of Sevilla - "The Monastery of Santa Mar’a de las Cuevas in Isla de la Cartuja will host the First International Biennial of Contemporary Art of Seville (I BIACS) between October 3rd and December 5th, 2004. Under the title La Alegr’a de Mis Sueños (The Joy of My Dreams), the curator Harald Szeemann, is organizing a wide exhibition emerging from the most alive and trembling current art. Installations, sculptures, paintings, photography, net art and performances will be held at the spaces of La Cartuja turning the city into the world-wide epicenter of contemporary creation during the autumn. I BIACS is promoted and supported by a private organization, the International Biennial Foundation of Contemporary Art of Seville, that will lead the project in this occasion and in the next years. BIACS Foundation is also supported by public institutions and private initiative. Its aim is to provide Sevillians and art lovers a scenery to participate in the debate of the current creation so that Seville returns to its historical role in the iternational art field. In the context of the exhibition in La Cartuja, a full Program of Cultural Activities will take place, where the city and the visitors of the Biennial will be involved under the motto Hospitality and Tolerance."

Artissima - "152 art galleries, coming from 19 countries, will exhibit their finest works at Artissima, the trendiest international contemporary art fair. Only Artissima puts together a selection of the world's most important galleries and the most innovating artists and galleries of the emerging generation. Within the fair, Artissima proposes three special sections: Present Future, New Entries and Constellations."

Bienal de Valencia -"The Valencia Biennial is a project of the Generalitat Valenciana, organised by the Department for Cultural Promotion and the Artistic Heritage. The conceptual focus of the Biennial is purely contemporary as it aims to dissolve the boundaries between the different art forms, bring the different media together and evolve conceptually towards a fusion which includes all facts of contemporary artistic production. The Biennial aims to be the best vantage point for an overview of all these changes as well as to represent the ideas, projects, works and energy of the most important figures in contemporary creation. In this way, this international gathering held every two years offers itself as a space in which the creative communication between artistic idioms is considered and questioned, as well as its impact on the artistic situation of the present day. The theme chosen for the 1st edition of the Biennial held in 2001 was "The Passions: the human vices and virtues", interpreted by 150 artists from the international cultural panorama. In this second edition (2003) under the heading "The Ideal City", the event brings together five curated exhibitions, a social project, two communication projects and five theatrical events which involve the Ciudad de las Artes Escénicas."

La Biennale di Venezia - "The Venice Biennale is one of the oldest cultural organizations: it was set up in 1893 and two years later organized the first International Art Exhibition; it then became an autonomous body, and today is an interdisciplinary Foundation concerned with architecture, visual arts, cinema, dance, music, and theatre. The Venice Biennale organizes the International Art Exhibition, the International Architecture Exhibition, the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica, and international Festivals of performing arts (Dance, Music, and Theatre). In January 2004, the Biennale Board was renewed . . . . the Biennale intends to reaffirm its uniqueness on the national and international cultural scene, confirming its leadership not only in the event of large exhibitions, but also in creativity of artistic production in all of its sectors throughout the year. The Biennale is thus an innovative organization in the field of research and experimentation. It has a pluralistic and dynamic attitude towards the diverse elements of contemporary culture."

Biennale of Sydney - International Festival of Contemporary Art, Australia - "The Biennale of Sydney was created in 1973 as an international showcase for contemporary art. Its aim was to develop and present a program that challenged traditional thinking and encouraged new levels of enthusiasm for innovative creative expression. The concept exceeded early expectations and the event proved to be a natural fit with Sydney, reflecting the blend of experiment and enjoyment of innovation and energy that has always been a hallmark of Australia's largest city. From a small start, the Biennale quadrupled in size in less than a decade. The Biennale of Sydney quickly achieved international recognition and today it ranks, with Venice and São Paulo, as one of the three leading international festivals of contemporary art and multimedia. The Biennale of Sydney is widely considered to be the pre-eminent contemporary art event in the Southern Hemisphere."

The Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Brisbane, Australia - " The APT project was initiated by the Queensland Art Gallery nearly ten years ago. The event is unique in the world in linking the contemporary art of Asia and the Pacific. The aim of the Triennial is to further cultural understanding and provide a window onto the most exciting contemporary art developments in the region. In the three Triennials held this decade, over 600 art professionals from the region have been directly involved in realising the exhibitions. Audiences for the first two exhibitions in 1993 and 1996 were 60,000 and 120,000 respectively. The total attendance figure for APT3 was 154,025. The Triennial is the largest collaborative art project in Australia and provides an opportunity for dialogue and discussion as well as a platform for artistic experiment. An emphasis within APT3 has been artistic collaborations across cultures, media and art forms as well as the inclusion of new technologies, while allowing continuing focus on art addressing the critical issue of the place of tradition in the rapidly changing societies of the Asia-Pacific region."

Bienal de São Paulo - Brazil

La Biennale de Montréal, Canada - "As we witness a global proliferation of contemporary art biennials we must reconsider their relevance both in terms of more efficient, better targeted timing and location. Such events should meet the information and stimulation needs of a specific environment, whether or not experts are involved internationally. The recent increase in contemporary art magazines, galleries, urban and festive events, teaching institutions and conventions across the planet has made art a topic that is raised and discussed more readily, more frequently."

Toronto International Art Fair, Canada - "Special Collectors' Preview, Special Projects, 'Art Rising' (guest curator Shengtian Zheng created "ART RISING" an exciting and unprecedented contemporary Chinese Art exhibition) . . . . 'Solo Spaces' (An additional opportunity for a feature presentation of a body of work or project installation by an individual artist) . . . . 'The News at Five' (The artists address the importance of place and locale under the series title "Here, not there") . . . . 'Video Lounge' ( Sit back, relax and enjoy a preview of Video Art in Canada) . . . . 'Interactive 2005" (Exciting new addition to its cultural programs that will transform the architectural spaces of the MTCC into a cutting-edge showcase of contemporary interactive art) . . . . 'Public Spaces, Public Art and Collectives' (Through a collective of artists and curators this project energizes the public reception spaces to the exhibition halls while exploring the interactive value and accessibility of public art) . . . .

Busan Biennale, South Korea

Gwangju Biennale, South Korea - "Theme: Fever Variations. The word 'fever' evokes a certain feeling of passion and enthusiasm, but also gestures towards those cultural tendencies which are in vogue and of the moment. Emphasizing the current phenomenon whereby Asia's new energy for change and dynamic vision expand, spreading and disseminating in all directions, the 6th Gwangju Biennale intends to illuminate and re-interpret international contemporary art from the standpoint of Asia. The title "Fever Variations" reflects the cultural abundance of Asia and its multiple significances in the way they affect the world. Asia is on the move. A fantasy of a New Asia is constructed from the current dynamism of Asia, Asia that refuses to be confined to a fixed identity and that energetically breaches boundaries with verve and flexibility. This is not an othered fantasy fabricated from a Western viewpoint but a subversive fantasy, emerging out of the collective unconscious as its substance and entity cannot be physically articulated."

Bienal de La Habana, Cuba - "This year (2003) it is especially difficult to see the Havana Biennial solely as an art event, completely neutral, without the context of the conditions in Cuba. Both its preparation and how it is perceived internationally have been seriously affected by the increasing gravity of the political situation. (Universes in Universe)

maco | méxico arte contemporáneo, Mexico City, Mexico - "The most important contemporary art fair in Latin America . . . . This time, the fair plans to get more than 80 national and international galleries together showing the best of today's art in the world. . . . One of the main aims of México arte contemporàneo is to cause in each and everyone of its editions an open forum to new ideas and proposals, a place where to generate a good coexistence between the art people --Curators, critics, artists, collectors, foundation directors, gallerist and public in general --who consider this art fair as a good opportunity to know new tendencies in art and thus, open the door to new possible art collectors.""

ARPA | Fundación Arte Panamá, Panama - "Curated by Gerardo Mosquera and Adrienne Samos, and organized by arpa, MultipleCity. Arte-Panamá 2003 constitutes the most important international event in the field of the arts throughout the entire history of Panama. From March 20 through April 20 MultipleCity gathered artists of various countries and had them react to the city so as to work with it as passersby, while a smaller group of Panamanians did the same as natives. Every artist was invited to create an individual piece in the streets and with the streets. Whether the artwork was to be ephemeral or not, the intention was not simply to create "public art" in a traditional sense -- The key issue here is that the artworks had to respond to physical, social, and cultural aspects of the city. At the same time, the artists should actively relate to the city, and struggle with its myriad seductions and pressing problems. It was intended that the processes and final works (without necessarily being interactive) involved the various urban communities, and had some sort of impact upon them."

Dak'art / La Biennale de l'art africain contemporain, Senegal - "For a dozen years now, the Biennial of Contemporary African Art has been offering, edition after edition, a space for the presentation and legitimization of contemporary creativity in Africa. An initiative of the Senegalese State, Dak'Art expresses the political will of placing culture at the heart of development strategies in Senegal and brings its contribution to the implementation of the African Union. Dak'Art is a major event for enhancing and promoting current African creativity. This sixth edition whose artistic content has been entrusted to professionals from the Art world, will raise with the Encounters and Exchange Colloquium the issue of "Contemporary African Art put to the test of globalization: constraints, advantages and prospects."
ALSO: http://www.au-senegal.com/art_en/biennale.htm

Taipei Biennial, Taiwan - "2006 Taipei Biennial, November 4, 2006 - February 25, 2007 --- between-ness noun, the state of possessing two meanings and neither of those meanings at the same time --- The present state of the globalized community leads us towards extremes of complication and simplification, and the overlapping of the two. Since the 60s, people have gradually turned from radical politics and ideology to a preoccupation with the approach to living, as manifested in the satisfaction of "desire" in our daily lives. Desire has become the primary social motivation for progress, but its essence and symbols undergo constant changes. The collective shift from a material desire for capitalist material comfort to a metaphysical desire for nature and health highlights the role played by consumerism and marketing mechanisms. The expression of desire is also a manifestation of energy. The more you desire, the more it indicates your fear of loss. People today are afraid of losing their health, their beauty, their youth and their wealth. As a result, they invent different spectacular spaces and collective activities to counter their fear in facing "reality". Gradually, these activities are replacing abstract religion and turning into a universal belief. We will treat Taipei as the epitome of a globalized community, observing the different new and trendy lifestyles that people adopt through the extremely rapid social changes and fashions of living. These lifestyles amply illustrate the complexity of the issues surrounding the satisfaction of desire and the fear of loss. The new lifestyles sought by the contemporary urban population (organic food, reshaping the body, spiritual renewal etc.) suggest a fundamental conflict with existence and progress, and indirectly question the real values of civilization. We will extend the discussion to include economic and political structures. and pose questions about history and about the contemporary trends of globalization to find out exactly what we desire and exactly what we fear. The 2006 Taipei Biennial will explore the duality and ambiguity of the states people now find themselves in, as well as the "between-ness" of the two extremes described above. Following centuries of overuse, the binary system of Western-based logic appears to be reaching the end of its usefulness. Our largely dormant capacity to imagine productive thought occurring outside of binary constructions is not just an occasional impediment to creativity per se -- it subtly governs our way of perceiving and interacting with the outside world. Like other aspects of everyday language, binary logic has long transcended the status of mental tool and become a modality of thought itself. In recent years, artists in diverse locales have begun confronting the myth of the binary head on, creating objects and situations that promote a Ôthird way' of understanding the world -- not according to direct opposition of thesis and antithesis, but beginning with a synthesis of the many, and leading to compromise, hybridity, consensus, and other forms of non-oppositional resolution. Because the philosophical tools available to us are not always readily apparent to everyone, this shift should be interpreted as a gradual movement away from blunt, black-and-white categories of thought, and toward the full acceptance of complexity itself --human, natural or imaginary --as an appropriate starting point. The artists who will participate in the 2006 Taipei Biennial are also participating in a discourse of 'between-ness' that is on the trail of hybrid, mutated, nomadic meanings that are always contingent, and often subject to multiple interpretations. In principle, during the Biennial the Taipei Fine Arts Museum would strive to be both an art space and a real space at the same time, as part of an effort to connect artistic practice with the daily life of individuals. Participating artists will be encouraged to develop proposals for new work within these parameters, and educational activities will be organized according to the need to re-integrate new and experimental artistic practices with the collective desire to experience art which is generous, open and accessible to all."

Art Chicago, Chicago, USA - "Art Chicago 2008, the annual international fair of contemporary and modern art, brings together 180 of the world's leading emerging and established galleries, representing 56 international cities to showcase the work of over 2,000 renowned artists. Art Chicago offers curators, collectors, artists and art enthusiasts a comprehensive survey of current and historic work, from cutting-edge to modern masters in a wide variety of media including: painting, photography, drawing, prints, sculpture, video and special installations."

L.A. International | Biennial Art Invitational, Los Angeles, USA - "A nonprofit biennial art event that was first held in 1993. It was conceived to present Los Angeles with significant international exhibitions, topical panel discussions and other special events, so as to initiate a dialogue between the Los Angeles and internationalart communities. Throughout Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Venice, Beverly Hills,West Hollywood, San Pedro and Pasadena, 75 galleries and art institutions have invited some 200 artists from over 30 countries to exhibit for five weeks in their gallery spaces. This year, it will be held from July 9th through August 16th, 2003."

The Armory Show | The International Fair of New Art, New York, USA - "The Armory Show was first presented in February 1999 at the 69th Regiment Armory, the very site of the now legendary Armory Show of 1913 that introduced modern art to America and for which The Armory Show is named . . . . The Armory Show, the International Fair of New Art, is the world's leading art fair devoted exclusively to contemporary art."

Asian Contemporary Art Week, New York, USA - "Asian Contemporary Art Week is an annual, city-wide event focusing attention on the richness and diversity of Asian and Asian American contemporary art in New York through programs such as exhibitions, gallery receptions, lectures, performances and studio visits."