Biennale of Sydney announces 2022 iteration

The highly anticipated 23^rd Biennale of Sydney, to be presented from 12 March to 13 June 2022, today announced the first 59 participating artists, along with its title rīvus. Meaning stream in Latin, rīvus will take place along the waterways of the Gadigal and Burramattagal people, and will be translated through a series of conceptual wetlands and imagined ecosystems populated by artworks, public programs, experiments, research and activisms, following the currents of meandering tributaries that expand into a delta of interrelated ideas.

“Indigenous knowledge has long understood non-human entities as living ancestral beings with a right to life that must be protected,” said the Biennale of Sydney 2022 curators. “But only recently have some plants, mountains and bodies of water been granted legal personhood. If we can recognise that a river has a voice, what might they say? rīvus will enable aqueous beings – rivers, wetlands and other salt and freshwater ecosystems – to share a dialogue with artists, architects, designers, scientists, and communities. Considering the water ecology’s perspective raises unlikely questions: Can a river sue over psychoactive sewage? Will oysters grow teeth in aquatic revenge? What do the eels think? Are waves the ocean’s desire?”

The 23rd iteration will also see those invited to take part in the Biennale known as participants, rather than artists, to show their diverse range of practices and modes of expressions beyond that of the visual arts. The first 59 participants announced today live across six continents and 33 countries such as Cameroon, Cuba, Venezuela, Slovenia, Taiwan, Tonga and the Netherlands.

“Admission to the Biennale of Sydney is free for all to enjoy,” said Barbara Moore, Chief Executive Officer, Biennale of Sydney, “with an open invitation for you to experience the most innovative contemporary art and ideas from around the world in some of Sydney’s most stunning and accessible public spaces. This edition of the Biennale will be all about our connections, and disconnections, with water, and as a result, with each other. It will be a beautiful thing to experience.”

The first 59 participants announced today as part of the 23rd Biennale of Sydney (2022) are:

• A4C Arts for the Commons (Ecuador / Italy)
• Ackroyd & Harvey (England)
• Robert Andrew (Yawuru, Australia)
• Ana Barboza and Rafael Freyre (Peru)
• Badger Bates (Barkandji, Australia)
• Milton Becerra (Venezuela / France)
• Cave Urban (Australia)
• Hera Büyüktaşcıyan (Turkey)
• Tania Candiani (Mexico)
• Yoan Capote (Cuba)
• Casino Wake Up Time (Bundjalung, Kamillaroi, Australia)
• Carolina Caycedo (Colombia / USA)
• Alex Cerveny (Brazil)
• Erin Coates (Australia)
• Cian Dayrit (Philippines)
• Melissa Dubbin & Aaron S. Davidson (USA)
• Matias Duville (Argentina)
• Clemencia Echeverri (Colombia)
• Embassy of the North Sea (North Sea / The Netherlands)
• Juliana Góngora Rojas (Colombia)
• Julie Gough (Trawlwoolway, Australia)
• Senior Craftsman Rex Greeno and son Dean Greeno (Palawa, Australia)
• David Haines & Joyce Hinterding (Australia / England)
• Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe (Yanomami, Venezuela)
• Dale Harding (Bidjara / Ghungalu / Garingbal, Australia)
• Joey Holder (England)
• Marguerite Humeau (France)
• Aluaiy Kaumakan (Paiwan Nation, Paridrayan Community, Taiwan)
• Pushpa Kumari (India)
• Eva L’Hoest (Belgium)
• Mata Aho Collective (Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungungu ki Wairarapa,
  Aotearoa New Zealand)
• Clare Milledge (Australia)
• Yuko Mohri (Japan)
• Moogahlin Performing Arts with Aanmitaagzi Big Medicine Studio (Murrawarri, Biripi, Australia; Ojibway / Mohawk, Mi’kmaq, Turtle Island Canada)
• New Landscapes Institute (Australia)
• New-Territories _ S/he _f.Roche (France)
• Leeroy New (Philippines)
• Wura-Natasha Ogunji (Nigeria / USA)
• Mike Parr (Australia)
• Marjetica Potrč (Slovenia)
• Caio Reisewitz (Brazil)
• Tabita Rezaire (France / French Guiana)
• Duke Riley (USA)
• Abel Rodríguez (Mogaje Guihu) (Nonuya, Colombia)
• Teho Ropeyarn (Angkamuthi / Yadhaykana, Australia)
• Diana Scherer (Germany / The Netherlands)
• Dineo Seshee Bopape (South Africa)
• Komunidad X Sipat Lawin (Philippines)
• Kiki Smith (USA)
• Paula de Solminihac (Chile)
• STARTTS (NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors) and Jiva Parthipan (Australia)
• Jenna Sutela (Finland / Germany)
• Imhathai Suwatthanasilp (Thailand)
• Leanne Tobin (Dharug, Australia)
• Barthélémy Toguo (Cameroon / France)
• Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi (Tonga / Aotearoa New Zealand)
• Hanna Tuulikki (England / Scotland / Finland)
• Gal Weinstein (Israel)
• Zheng Bo (Bai, China)

The Curatorium, the team of curators developing and realising the 23rd Biennale of Sydney (2022) includes:

• José Roca, Artistic Director, 23rd Biennale of Sydney
• Paschal Daantos Berry, Head of Learning and Participation, Art Gallery of New South Wales
• Anna Davis, Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
• Hannah Donnelly, Producer, First Nations Programs, Information + Cultural Exchange (I.C.E.)
• Talia Linz, Curator, Artspace

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

Image: Carolina Caycedo, Yuma, or the Land of Friends, 2014, digital print on acrylic glass, and satellite images, 580 x 473 cm. Installation view at the 8th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art, Museen Dahlen (2014), Berlin. Courtesy: the artist.