Titled Ten Thousand Suns and curated by co-artistic directors Cosmin Costinaş and Inti Guerrero, the 24th Biennale of Sydney seeks to convey a ‘solar joy’ of cultural multiplicities – the constellation of factors that contribute to our different identities.
The exhibition brings First Nations understandings of the cosmos to the fore, and celebrates how carnival traditions, such as music, dance and regalia, can be a form of resistance and a way of rallying against oppression. It also recognises how cultures have adapted, persisted and galvanised in potentially world-ending situations.
Many artists exhibiting at the Art Gallery of New South Wales interrogate the value of images in conveying global emergencies. Others explore the performative and celebratory body through costume and adornment, as powerful expressions of self and community.
Since its inception in 1973, the Biennale of Sydney has provided a platform for art and ideas, showcasing the work of artists from more than 100 countries. Today it is considered one of the leading international contemporary art events, recognised for commissioning and presenting innovative, thought-provoking art from Australia and around the globe.
The Art Gallery is one of several venues.