Bienal Climática launches in Avilés, linking art with ecology and industry

Spain's new Bienal Climática opened in Avilés, featuring over 40 artists across 13 venues, many in former industrial sites. The exhibition runs until 20 September and is organized by Madrid-based foundation Atelier ITD, which secured €1m in Spanish government funding. Artistic director Amanda Masha Caminals curated works addressing weather phenomena, industrialization, and ecological transition. Artists include Agnes Essonti, whose cyanotype fabrics reference Cameroon's prawn history; Alba Matilla, who reimagines local fog legends as industrial smoke; and Sara García, whose bread-decorated dresses critique chemically assisted mass production. The biennial also features international artists such as Singapore's Priyageetha Dia and Jordan-born Lawrence Abu Hamdan. Avilés, a city of 75,000 in Asturias, experienced heavy industrialization in the 1950s-60s, becoming one of Europe's most polluted cities. Mayor Mariví Monteserin Rodríguez noted industry sacrificed the city's identity. The biennial aims to attract 90,000 visitors and is part of Avilés's regeneration. Future iterations are planned for other Spanish cities. The initiative parallels Klima Biennale Wien (2024), which director Sithara Pathirana says must change its own model to avoid greenwashing. Masha Caminals describes the biennial as a meeting place, not a lobby, offering tools to inhabit conflicts without magical solutions.