Sydney Biennale's 'Rememory' Confronts Histories Through Intimate Installations
The 25th Biennale of Sydney, named 'Rememory,' commenced on March 14, 2026, and will continue until June 14. Curated by Hoor Al-Qasimi, the exhibition showcases the work of 83 artists hailing from Guatemala to Taiwan, delving into collective histories. Set within the industrial backdrop of the White Bay Power Station, notable pieces include Edgar Calel's 17-meter-long embroidered blanket 'Pa sutz' xkix tzolojpe' (2025) and Nikesha Breeze's 'Living Histories' (2026), which features a baobab tree. Additionally, Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige's 'Asylum of our Dreams' (2026) chronicles a journey from Lebanon to Australia. The biennale has sparked controversy due to criticism and discriminatory comments. 'Code Black/Riot' (2025) addresses youth detention, while Kuba Dorabialski's 'Field Report' (2026) raises questions about the ethics of storytelling.
Key facts
- The 25th Biennale of Sydney, 'Rememory,' runs from March 14 to June 14, 2026.
- Curator Hoor Al-Qasimi assembled 83 artists, collaborators, and collectives from Guatemala to Taiwan.
- White Bay Power Station serves as a primary venue, noted for its raw, industrial architecture.
- Edgar Calel's 17-meter-long embroidered blanket incorporates beeswax and paraffin, referencing Mayan beliefs.
- Nikesha Breeze's 'Living Histories' uses cotton gauze and references the 'Born in Slavery' archive from the 1930s.
- Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige's 'Asylum of our Dreams' documents Lebanese migrants' journeys to Australia.
- 'Code Black/Riot' by Hoda Afshar, Vernon Ah Kee, and Behrouz Boochani addresses First Nations youth detention in Australia.
- The exhibition faced media controversy and was overshadowed by an American DJ's remarks at the vernissage.
Entities
Artists
- Hoor Al-Qasimi
- Edgar Calel
- Nikesha Breeze
- Joana Hadjithomas
- Khalil Joreige
- Hoda Afshar
- Vernon Ah Kee
- Behrouz Boochani
- Kuba Dorabialski
- Toni Morrison
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Hoor Al Qasimi
- Wendy Hubert
- Nancy Yukuwal McDinny
- Nahom Teklehaimanot
- Frank Young
- Benjamin Work
- Joe Namy
- Dennis Golding
- Basil Al-Rawi
- John Harvey
- Walter Waia
- Alessandro Petit
- Anna Müller
- Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev
- William Kentridge
- Mike Parr
- Pierre Huyghe
- Chang En-Man
- Chen Chieh-jen
- Natalie Davey
- Frank Sweeney
- Bouchra Khalili
- Marianne Keating
- Bertille Bak
- Carmen Glynn-Braun
- Emily Jacir
- Michael Rakowitz
- Khalil Rabah
- Taysir Batniji
- Kapwani Kiwanga
- Ngurrara Artists
- Khalid Albaih
- Nora Adwan
- Massinissa Selmani
- Okwui Enwezor
- Ryuichi Fujimura
- WeiZen Ho
- Peter Kennedy
- Cannupa Hanska Luger
- Daisy Quezada Ureña
- Gunybi Ganambarr
- Abdul Abdullah
- Yaritji Young
- Niamh McCann
- Warraba Weatherall
- Sandi Hilal
- Alessandro Petti
- Fernando Poyón
- Nil Yalter
- Monica Rani Rudhar
- Basal Abbas
- Ruanne Abou-Rahme
- Vicente Telles
Institutions
- Biennale of Sydney
- Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain
- Proyectos Ultravioleta
- Library of Congress
- Federal Writers' Project
- Campbelltown Arts Centre
- Rubaiya Qatar
- Qatar Museums
- Chau Chak Wing Museum
- Change the Record
- Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Milani Gallery
- Document Photography
- Silversalt Photography
- White Bay Power Station
- Penrith Regional Gallery
- Venice Biennale
- Documenta
- São Paulo Bienal
- Sursock Museum
- Sharjah Architecture Triennal
- Brown Cabs
- Kalori Productions
- Aesthetica Magazine
- University of Sydney
- Australian War Memorial
- Sydney Opera House
- Cockatoo Island
- EDGE Festival Inner West
- Unge Kunstneres Samfund
- Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou
- Centre Georges Pompidou
- Create NSW
- exibart.com
- Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain
Locations
- Sydney
- Australia
- Guatemala
- Taiwan
- Sharjah
- Iran
- Israel
- US
- White Bay Power Station
- Tate Modern
- Lebanon
- Bab al-Tabbaneh
- Indonesia
- Christmas Island
- North Queensland
- Meanjin
- Brisbane
- Poland
- Sarajevo
- Bosnia
- Venice
- Italy
- Kassel
- Germany
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- White Bay
- New South Wales
- Campbelltown
- Penrith
- Western Sydney
- Redfern
- Gulf of Carpentaria
- Auckland
- New Zealand
- Tonga
- Parramatta River
- Cockatoo Island
- Canberra
- Great Sandy Desert
- Gaza
- Oslo
- Paris
- Palestine
- Aotearoa
- Eritrea
- Parramatta
- Granville
- France
- Turkey
- Sudan
- Iraq
- Mexico City