The Biennal is ON!

The Brussels Biennial is a perennial exhibition of contemporary art. Hosted in Brussels, it was founded in 2007 by independent curator Barbara Vanderlinden. It emerges at the end of a decennium that has seen an increase in large-scale exhibitions and biennials and marks an important step forward in the process of integrating the Capital of Europe in the international contemporary art scene.

This Biennial is international both in its mission and its outlook. It explicitly and strategically engages with the globalization of contemporary art. A number of themes underpin the characteristic Brussels Biennial approach, including the recognition of the capacity, power, and promise of contemporary art in the (almost completely) urbanized area covering Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of France and Germany. The Biennial targets the 32 million inhabitants of this area and gives this potentially decisive region the opportunity of understanding itself as a connected geography, where the mobilization of cultural discussion and activity at a local, super-regional and global level is possible.

To truly develop its international orientation, the Brussels Biennial will operate through collaborations and experimentations with contemporary art institutions from around the world. It will make use of the significant, unique international character of Brussels, a city that has an intrinsically pluralistic political landscape and a complex patchwork of social, cultural and ethnic intricacies, as well as a continuing motivation to put together new models of collaboration.

The team of the Brussels Biennial is convinced that the development of this type of programme is both urgent and necessary for the non-profit and independent contemporary art organizations at the heart of Europe’s metropolitan region. Indeed, the latter needs to be capable of responding rapidly and professionally, giving innovative solutions as new global cultural momentums and opportunities unfold.

An International Brussels Biennial Committee will be established and oversee the artistic activities of the biennial, providing strategic leadership and a clear focus for the development of its international activities. The committee will also carefully manage its relationships with artists, curators, partner organizations, networks, governments and funding bodies, identifying the particular relations of the Biennial between different artistic positions. It will work on the base of an informed appreciation and assessment of future trends in contemporary art.

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