Biennale of Sydney 2026: Rememory Unveiled

The Biennale of Sydney has announced further details of its landmark 25th edition, titled Rememory, revealing a compelling program that explores memory, history, and identity through the lens of contemporary art. Led by curator Hoor Al Qasimi, the free exhibition will present work by artists from Australia, New Zealand, Guatemala, India, USA, Argentina, Lebanon, France, Ireland, Ethiopia, Algeria, Taiwan, and beyond.

Taking its title from celebrated author Toni Morrison, Rememory examines the intersection of memory and history as a means of revisiting, reconstructing, and reclaiming narratives that have been erased or repressed. The edition will amplify stories from First Nations communities and the diverse diasporas that shape contemporary Australia, with a dedicated program for young audiences ensuring these stories are passed to the next generation.

The 2026 edition marks a significant expansion, spanning five major exhibition sites: White Bay Power Station, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, Campbelltown Arts Centre, and Penrith Regional Gallery. This expanded footprint reflects a deliberate focus on inclusivity and access, particularly across Western Sydney, with additional public programs hosted at venues throughout the Inner City and Greater Sydney.

Among the standout projects announced are several large-scale commissions that promise to be highlights of the edition. Interdisciplinary artist Nikesha Breeze will present Living Histories, an immense immersive installation at White Bay Power Station exploring first-hand accounts of enslaved African-Americans through large-scale fabric columns crafted to resemble the African Baobab tree.

Painter Nancy Yukuwal McDinny will produce her largest work to date at the same venue, creating a vast mural that documents the historical and contemporary resonance of conflict between First Nations communities and colonial forces, from the First Fleet to modern-day mining.

At the Art Gallery of New South Wales, senior Anangu artist Frank Young will lead a monumental installation of hand-carved spears for the latest iteration of the Kulata Tjuta (Many Spears) Project. This ongoing project of cultural maintenance marks fifteen years with three generations of spear-makers, highlighting the importance of maintaining Indigenous traditions through contemporary art.

Also at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Eritrean artist Nahom Teklehaimanot will present three new large-scale canvases titled This is My Silence You Name the Sound, speaking to the poignant experience of living as a refugee through his signature collage style.

The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain has worked with the Biennale to commission 15 First Nations artists from around the world to create new work. These artists will work closely with Fondation Cartier First Nations Curatorial Fellow Bruce Johnson McLean, from the Wierdi people of the Birri Gubba Nation, to realise their artworks. The exhibition will be accompanied by an extensive public program kicking off with the opening night concert Lights On at White Bay Power Station on 13 March 2026. The event will feature headliner Nourished by Time, the solo project of Baltimore musician Marcus Brown making his Australian debut, alongside local performances and a preview of Joe Namy‘s Automobile.

The Art After Dark program will transform White Bay Power Station on Friday evenings with music, art, and outdoor food markets. The music program for the first three events has been curated by Liquid Architecture, featuring celebrated Japanese experimental-pop artist Tujiko Noriko, Sydney-based composer Mara Schwerdtfeger, Kashmiri musician Ruhail Qaisar, and genre-agnostic electronic artist Marcus Whale, among others.

Artist Dennis Golding will present three programs reflecting on his experiences growing up in The Block in Redfern, including a beaded jewellery making workshop, a First Nations-led Bingo night, and a limited series of tours discussing the area’s Aboriginal history.

25th Biennale of Sydney opens to the public on Saturday 14th March 2026.

Admission is free.

For more information, visit biennaleofsydney.art

The full list of artists announced to date includes Abdul Abdullah, Ángel Poyón, Angélica Serech, Behrouz Boochani, Hoda Afshar, Vernon Ah Kee, Benjamin Work, Bouchra Khalili, CAMP, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Carmen Glynn-Braun, Chang En Man, Chen Chieh-jen, Daisy Quezada Ureña, DAAR, Deirdre O’Mahony, Dennis Golding, Dread Scott, Edgar Calel, Elverina Johnson, Ema Shin, Emily Jacir, Fernando Poyón, Frank Young & The Kulata Tjuta Project, Gabriel Chaile, Gunybi Ganambarr, Helen Grace, Hou I-Ting, John Harvey & Walter Waia, John Prince Siddon, Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige, Joe Namy, Kapwani Kiwanga, Kiri Dalena, Kuba Dorabialski, Lamia Joreige, Marian Abboud, Maritea Dæhlin, Massinissa Selmani, Merilyn Fairskye & Michiel Dolk, Michael Rakowitz, Monica Rani Rudhar, Nahom Teklehaimanot, Nancy Yukuwal McDinny, Natalie Davey, Nikesha Breeze, Richard Bell, Rose B. Simpson, Sandra Monterroso, Tania Willard, Taysir Batniji, Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn, Warraba Weatherall, Wendy Hubert, and Yaritji Young.