With more than 30 artists already announced for the 21st iteration of the Biennale of Sydney, Artistic Director Mami Kataoka has revealed the title of the 2018 event, whilst announcing additional artists and elaborating on key themes.
Running for 12 weeks from Friday 16 March 2018, the title of the 21st Biennale of Sydney is SUPERPOSITION: Art of Equilibrium and Engagement – adopting the quantum mechanical term ‘superposition’ which, in quantum theory, refers to the ability of electrons to occupy multiple states at once; to simultaneously take opposing paths and end up in different places. It is only with the application of measurement that matter is reduced to a single definition.
Correspondingly, according to the theory of ‘Wuxing’ in ancient Chinese natural philosophy, everything in this world is comprised of five main elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each element gives rise to the next – either through a process of symbiosis where one element encourages the formation of the others in a circulatory system, or; a situation of mutual conflict and antagonism, in which each element resists and suppresses the others. In reality, diverse elements come together in a state of repeated collision, collapse, and rebirth.
“The participating artists in the 21st Biennale of Sydney drawn from around the globe, have been chosen to offer a panoramic view of how opposing understandings and interpretations can come together in a state of equilibrium,” says Artistic Director Mami Kataoka. “My hope is that their artworks will serve as a catalyst for thinking about these principles and concerns, and encourage each of us to consider our own position in society as a starting point.”
The latest round of artists announced to participate in the 21st Biennale of Sydney are:
- Julian Abraham ‘Togar’ (Born 1987 in Indonesia, lives and works in Medan, Indonesia)
- Chen Shaoxiong (Born 1962 in China, died in 2016 in Beijing, China)
- Geng Xue (Born 1983 in China, lives and works in Beijing, China)
- Tanya Goel (Born 1985 in India, lives and works in New Delhi, India)
- Hsu Chia-Wei (Born 1983 in Taiwan, lives and works in Taipei, Taiwan)
- Ami Inoue (Born 1991 in Japan, lives and works in Kyoto)
- Sosa Joseph (Born 1971 in India, lives and works in Kochi, India)
- Prabhavathi Meppayil (Born 1965 in India, lives and works in Bangalore, India)
- Tomie Ohtake (Born 1913 in Japan, died in 2015 in São Paulo, Brazil)
- Tawatchai Puntusawasdi (Born 1971 in Thailand, lives and works in Chiang Mai, Thailand)
- Sa Sa Art Projects (founded in 2010 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia)
- Svay Sareth (Born 1972 in Cambodia, lives and works in Siam Reap, Cambodia)
- Akira Takayama (Born 1969 in Japan, lives and works in Saitama, Japan)
- Maria Taniguchi (Born 1981 in Philippines, lives and works in Manila, Philippines)
- Su-Mei Tse (Born 1973 in Luxemburg, lives and works in Luxemburg)
- Samson Young (Born 1979 in Hong Kong, lives and works in Hong Kong)
In addition to these artists, Yukinori Yanagi, Koji Ryui and Rika Noguchi are participating Japanese artists.
Jo-Anne Birnie-Danzker, Director and CEO of the Biennale of Sydney, noted that “Mami Kataoka is a distinguished curator whose vision for the 21st Biennale of Sydney is both timely and prescient. It encourages us to consider how all things of this world interact with each other. The 2018 Biennale of Sydney SUPERPOSITION: Art of Equilibrium and Engagement promises to be an inspiring and important means for us to contemplate our place in the world.”
“To commemorate the organisation’s 45th anniversary, the exhibition will reflect on the Biennale’s rich history through a close examination of its Archive, drawing on more than four decades of encounters with art from around the globe. We look forward to welcoming to Sydney the many thousands of visitors expected to attend the 21st Biennale who will experience this ambitious and exciting edition’.
37 participating artists have now been announced, with the complete list of participating artists to be announced in October this year. The 2018 Biennale of Sydney runs Friday 16 March until Monday 11 June 2018. For more information, visit: www.biennaleofsydney.com.au for detail.
Image: Chia-Wei Hsu, Ruins of the Intelligence Bureau, 2015 (video still) video installation, 13:30 mins. Courtesy the artist and Liang Gallery, Taipei. Produced by Le Fresnoy