ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates the capacity of biennales to advance long-term social empowerment and environmental sustainability in the communities of artists, participants and consumers with which they partner. The focus here is on projects that disrupt established biennale paradigms of exhibition-making. Two major international biennales are cited as case studies. The first is the 2020 Biennale of Sydney in Australia: artistic director Brook Andrew brought to the fore the art of First Nations’ cultures and elevated forms of audience engagement to the same level of importance as the exhibition itself. The second is the Echigo-Tsumari Triennial in Japan, which has for over 20 years built a legacy of permanent artworks across pristine tracts of countryside, working in collaboration with local residents. The premise of this chapter is that new, accumulative models of exhibition-making that map key organisational aims across multiple editions can more effectively than old biennale curatorial paradigms achieve impact and relevance in the context of contemporary issues such as the ecological crisis.
