José Roca unveils participants for 23rd Sydney Biennale with water and legal personhood themes
José Roca, a Colombian curator, has unveiled the roster for the 23rd Biennale of Sydney, set to commence in March 2024, under the title 'rīvus' (which translates to 'stream' in Latin). This exhibition showcases contributors from 33 nations, alongside various Indigenous groups, highlighting the importance of water in relation to Sydney's position on the Gadigal and Burramattagal waterways. Roca opts for the term 'participants' instead of 'artists' to encompass a range of disciplines. Among the notable contributors are STARTTS and the Embassy of the North Sea. Roca's remarks touch on Indigenous wisdom and the legal status of natural entities, prompting discussions about the possibility of rivers initiating lawsuits for pollution. He previously served as a curator at Tate and directed the 2011 Bienal do Mercosul, with participants including A4C Arts for the Commons, Robert Andrew, and Kiki Smith.
Key facts
- José Roca announced participants for the 23rd Biennale of Sydney
- The exhibition is titled 'rīvus' and opens in March next year
- Participants come from 33 countries and six continents
- Roca avoids using the term 'artists' due to diverse disciplines
- Water is a major theme, referencing Sydney's Gadigal and Burramattagal waterways
- Includes STARTTS, an Australian organization supporting torture survivors for over 30 years
- Includes Embassy of the North Sea, founded in 2018 in The Hague
- Roca explores legal personhood for natural elements like rivers
Entities
Artists
- José Roca
- Ackroyd & Harvey
- Robert Andrew
- Ana Barboza
- Rafael Freyre
- Badger Bates
- Milton Becerra
- Hera Büyüktaşcıyan
- Tania Candiani
- Yoan Capote
- Carolina Caycedo
- Alex Cerveny
- Erin Coates
- Cian Dayrit
- Melissa Dubbin
- Aaron S. Davidson
- Matias Duville
- Clemencia Echeverri
- Juliana Góngora Rojas
- Julie Gough
- Rex Greeno
- Dean Greeno
- David Haines
- Joyce Hinterding
- Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe
- Dale Harding
- Joey Holder
- Marguerite Humeau
- Aluaiy Kaumakan
- Pushpa Kumari
- Eva L’Hoest
- Clare Milledge
- Yuko Mohri
- Leeroy New
- Wura-Natasha Ogunji
- Mike Parr
- Marjetica Potrč
- Caio Reisewitz
- Tabita Rezaire
- Duke Riley
- Abel Rodríguez
- Teho Ropeyarn
- Diana Scherer
- Dineo Seshee Bopape
- Kiki Smith
- Paula de Solminihac
- Jiva Parthipan
- Jenna Sutela
- Imhathai Suwatthanasilp
- Leanne Tobin
- Barthélémy Toguo
- Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi
- Hanna Tuulikki
- Gal Weinstein
- Zheng Bo
- Paschal Daantos Berry
- Anna Davis
- Hannah Donnelly
- Talia Linz
Institutions
- Biennale of Sydney
- NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS)
- Embassy of the North Sea
- FLORA ars+natura
- Tate
- Museo del Banco de la República (MAMU)
- Bienal do Mercosul
- A4C Arts for the Commons
- Casino Wake Up Time
- Cave Urban
- Mata Aho Collective
- Moogahlin Performing Arts
- Aanmitaagzi Big Medicine Studio
- New Landscapes Institute
- New-Territories _ S/he _f.Roche
- Komunidad X Sipat Lawin
- Museo del Banco de la República
- Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
- Information + Cultural Exchange
- Artspace
Locations
- Sydney
- Australia
- Bogotá
- Colombia
- The Hague
- Netherlands
- Porto Alegre
- Brazil
- Ecuador
- Italy
- England
- Peru
- Venezuela
- France
- Turkey
- Mexico
- Cuba
- Philippines
- USA
- Argentina
- Taiwan
- India
- Belgium
- Aotearoa New Zealand
- Japan
- Canada
- Nigeria
- Slovenia
- French Guiana
- South Africa
- Chile
- Finland
- Germany
- Thailand
- Cameroon
- Tonga
- Scotland
- Israel
- China
- North Sea
- London
- United Kingdom
- Parramatta