Art You the Festive One this Biennale! – posted 6 May 2014

From the 21 March to 9 June the annual Biennale of Sydney’s international, contemporary art festival (yes, the title pun was intended) is the largest and most well attended event in the country. With visual arts that are on par with Venice and Sao Paulo, this is one of the longest running exhibitions of its type. It’s also the first biennale to be created in the Asia-Pacific region which adds to its kudos, credentials and quality of art shown.

Each year, a new theme is chosen and this year’s is: You Imagine What You Desire, Artistic Director: Juliana Engberg. There was slight controversy about this year’s theme and attempts were made to boycott this 19^th Biennale – which simply adds to the publicity and attraction. The focus of the boycott was related to interests of asylum seekers and the chief sponsor, Transfield, who oversee and manage detention centers. As a result of hype and interest in this topic, Transfield were severed from endorsing or having affiliations with the Biennale.

From so much awareness of this topic, the Biennale has been attracting more visitors than previous years, in support of and interest related to the artists exhibiting. Sometimes controversy does add to a positive outcome so if you’re in the Sydney area during your travels, enjoy the incredible artwork by these talented (and tenacious) artists at a host of locations including Carriageworks, Art Space, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Around the City and Cockatoo Island (Sydney Harbour).

Some of the most famous, global artists exhibiting their work include James Angus, Sol Archer, Rosa Barba and Yael Bartana. Their featured creativity are a mix of traditional, contemporary and modern technology that will stun you with a range that includes light installations, humans, canvas, political stances and religion. For example Yael’s brand new work ‘Inferno’ shows visions of destruction (historical and present day) alongside her religious belief in ‘imagined.’ Then there’s Egle Budvytyte who features a mobile performance ‘Around the City’ called the Choreography for the Running Male where literally, a group of men jog a specific route through Sydney. They’ll carry out pre-meditated choreographed gestures and emotions from shame to seduction or a military stance. The objective is to realize socialized behavior that infiltrates our public consciousness.

The diversity of artists and their showings are an education in itself!  Exhausted after a full day of analyzing art? Then hop over on the ferry from the Harbour to an affordable Sydney hotel, relax with a drink and watch the sun go down while you focus on your untapped, inner creativity.

While you’re checking Cremorne Point Manor, take a look at our new tour video on the home page. It’s pretty sensational and shows Sydney in a stunning light and a work of art, in itself!