The 25th Biennale of Sydney, titled Rememory, opens to the public this weekend. Over 143 artworks by 83 artists and collectives from 37 countries and territories, alongside a dynamic public program, will be presented across the city from 14 March to 14 June 2026.
A major international art festival and the largest contemporary art event of its kind in Australia, the 25th Biennale of Sydney is presented at Art Gallery of New South Wales, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery, Sydney Opera House and at White Bay Power Station.
This expanded footprint reflects a deliberate focus on inclusivity and access, particularly across Greater Sydney, and will be further amplified through public programs hosted at additional venues including Blouza Hall, Centenary Square, Fairfield City Museum & Gallery, Marrickville Town Hall, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, National Centre of Indigenous Excellence Redfern, Parramatta Artist Studios, Redfern Town Hall and Sydney Town Hall.
With the artistic direction led by internationally acclaimed curator Hoor Al Qasimi, the 25th Biennale of Sydney, titled Rememory, takes its name from celebrated author Toni Morrison, exploring the intersection of memory and history as a means of revisiting, reconstructing, and reclaiming histories.
“Rememory has been shaped by artists whose practices are grounded in lived experience, cultural knowledge, and community. Many of the works in this edition draw on personal, familial and collective histories to reflect on how memory is carried across generations, and how histories that have been fragmented or suppressed can be revisited and reassembled through art,” said Artistic Director Hoor Al Qasimi.
“For many of the artists in the Biennale, creating work with, by and for community is fundamental. Their practices recognise that memory lives not only in archives or institutions, but in people, places and shared experiences. Bringing these voices together across Sydney allows audiences to encounter powerful perspectives from around the world while reflecting on the histories and communities that shape this city,” said Hoor Al Qasimi.
Through Rememory, artists from Australia and around the world reflect on their own roots while engaging with Sydney and its surrounding communities and histories, exploring global themes that connect us. Audiences will experience dynamic artworks, large-scale installations and site-specific projects by local and international artists.
The edition will highlight marginalised narratives, share untold stories, and inspire audiences to rethink how memory shapes identity and belonging, amplifying stories from First Nations communities, and the divergent diasporas that shape Australia today. A dedicated program for children and young audiences will provide space and exploration for these stories to be passed on to the next generations.
As Visionary Partner, the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain has worked with the Biennale of Sydney to commission 15 First Nations artists from around the world to create new work for the edition.
These artists include Ángel Poyón, Angélica Serech, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Carmen Glynn-Braun, Edgar Calel, Fernando Poyón, Frank Young & The Kulata Tjuta Project, Gabriel Chaile, Gunybi Ganambarr, John Harvey & Walter Waia, John Prince Siddon, Nancy Yukuwal McDinny, Rose B. Simpson, Tania Willard and Warraba Weatherall.
They have worked closely with the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain First Nations Curatorial Fellow Bruce Johnson McLean, from the Wierdi people of the Birri Gubba Nation, to realise their artworks. This is part of the ongoing partnership between the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain and the Biennale of Sydney, which also includes a creative collaboration with the Sydney Opera House for the recently launched Badu Gili: Story Keepers.
“As we open the 25th Biennale of Sydney across Greater Sydney, visitors are invited to experience extraordinary contemporary art from Australia and around the world in places where communities live, gather and create,” said Barbara Moore, Chief Executive Officer, Biennale of Sydney.
“The Biennale brings people together through newly commissioned and presented artworks that engage with contemporary ideas and the world we live in, inspiring and challenging perspectives and in turn fostering a shared sense of community and belonging.”
“At a time when the world can feel divided, the Biennale shares stories from people living today, embracing freedom of thought and our common humanity,” said Moore.
“The Biennale of Sydney is a key moment where we join the global visual art conversation. It’s also great that it’s free, which means world-class contemporary art is accessible to everyone and embedded in the everyday cultural life of NSW,” said Minister for the Arts, John Graham.
A dynamic public program will be presented alongside the artworks, kicking off with the opening night concert Lights On at White Bay Power Station on Friday 13 March 2026. Audiences can explore the exhibition while enjoying vibrant performances including Brooklyn-based DJ Haram, playing their signature sound mixing club beats and percussion.
Other performances throughout the evening include prolific local DJ and co-host of the weekly Latin American music show Mi Gente/My People on FBi radio Maz alongside Baile Funk collective INBRAZA Baile, groundbreaking inter-cultural First Nations fronted contemporary music ensemble Hand to Earth activating the resonant potential of the cavernous space of the Turbine Hall, American artist Niecy Blues, who merges soul, ambient and spoken word, and a preview performance of Joe Namy’s Automobile.
The 25th Biennale of Sydney runs Saturday 14 March – Sunday 14 June 2026. For more information and full program, visit: www.biennaleofsydney.art for details.
Images: Installation view of the 25th Biennale of Sydney, Rememory, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 14 March – 14 June 2026, featuring art by Kulata Tjuta and Frank Young, commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney and Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, artworks © the artists, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Felicity Jenkins | Helen Grace, Justice for Violet and Bruce, 1980/2022, framed ultra chrome inkjet print on Canson photo paper, print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag, phototex, built structure. This version was created for the Biennale of Sydney. Originally supported by Wagga Wagga Art Gallery. Courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography | Ángel Poyón, The hand, the foot of our brooms, The hand, the foot of our hoe / our hoes, 2025, coconut leaf fibre, carved wood, steel, paint. Commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney and the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain. Courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Document Photography | John Harvey and Walter Waia, The Heart of the Universe, 2026; three-channel video installation, sound, pandanus mats, looped 25mins. Installation view of the 25th Biennale of Sydney, Rememory at Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery, 2026. Commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney and Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain. Courtesy of the artists – photo by Maja Baska