Thessaloniki Biennale 2026: 'everything must change' with 50+ artists
The 2026 edition of the Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art, titled 'everything must change. Radical Intelligence. Saloniki 9', has been officially announced. Curated by Nadja Argyropoulou and organized by MOMUS-Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki, this biennale is characterized as a 'para-biennale', emphasizing artworks that challenge conventional narratives through a variety of conflicting stories. More than 50 artists and collectives will participate, including notable names like Basma al-Sharif, Meriem Bennani, Pierre Huyghe, Arthur Jafa, Forensic Architecture, Agnieszka Polska, and Oliver Ressler. Additionally, historical pieces, such as an anonymous work from the 18th century housed in the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens, will be showcased. The event is scheduled to take place from 23 May to 5 July 2026.
Key facts
- The 2026 Thessaloniki Biennale is titled 'everything must change. Radical Intelligence. Saloniki 9'.
- It is organized by MOMUS-Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki.
- The curator is Nadja Argyropoulou.
- The biennale describes itself as a 'para-biennale'.
- Over 50 artists and collectives are participating, including Basma al-Sharif, Pierre Huyghe, Arthur Jafa, and Forensic Architecture.
- An anonymous 18th-century work from the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens is included.
- The event runs from 23 May to 5 July 2026.
- The focus is on artworks made of diverse and contradictory tales that confront the status quo.
Entities
Artists
- Basma al-Sharif
- Minos Argyrakis
- Meriem Bennani
- Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley
- The Callas (Lakis & Aris Ionas)
- Leonidas Christakis
- Disobedience Archive
- Sofia Dona
- Errands Group
- Stelios Faitakis
- Alexis Fidetzis
- Forensic Architecture
- Matsi Hatzilazarou with Andreas Embirikos
- Pierre Huyghe
- Arthur Jafa
- Christos Karakolis
- Maria Karavela
- Dionisis Kavallieratos
- Katerina Komianou
- Dimitris Korres
- Panos Koutrouboussis
- Maria Kriara
- Stefanos Levidis
- Ligia Lewis
- Le Nemesiache
- Eva Papamargariti
- Nikos Gravriil Pentzikis
- Agnieszka Polska
- Oliver Ressler
- Ben Rivers
- Kostas Sfikas
- Jakob Steensen
- Eleni Tomadaki
- Antigoni Tsagkaropoulou
- Nanos Valaoritis
- VASKOS (Vassilis Noulas, Kostas Tzimoulis)
- Marina Velisioti
- Lewis Walker
- Phillip Warnell & Juri Akiyama
- Marie Wilson
- Anna Zemánková
- Anonymous (18th c.)
- Basma Alsharif
- Matsi Hatzilazarou
- Andreas Embirikos
- Phillip Warnell
- Juri Akiyama
- Samuel Beckett
- Victor Brauner
- André Breton
- Nicolas Calas
- Marcel Duchamp
- Nikos Engonopoulos
- Max Ernst
- Wifredo Lam
- André Masson
- Mario Prassinos
- Jean-Marie Drot
- Guy Debord
- Jacqueline de Jong
- Asger Jorn
- Ivan Chtcheglov
- Nikos Arvanitis
- Echelle Inconnue
- Experimental Jetset
- Marina Gioti
- Maria Papanikolaou
- Eva Stefani
- Hito Steyerl
- Katerina Gogou
- Maria-Electra Zoglopitou
- Ladelle
- Dolly Vara
- Sara ATH
- Penny & Iria
- Chara Stergiou
- Chris Vrettos
- Ester Krumbachová
- Valentin Noujeim
- Khalil Josef
- Kostas Theos
- Abigail Child
- Alexis Litsardakis
- Aerites Dance Company
- Mephisto Me Studio
- Dimitris Ameladiotis
- Nadja Argyropoulou
- Vanessa Theodoropoulou
- Evelyn Zempou
Institutions
- MOMUS-Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki
- Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens
- Canvas
- Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art
- Biennial Foundation
- Heinrich Böll Foundation
- Another Football
- Greenpeace Greece
- European Union
- NSRF 'Central Macedonia' Operational Programme
- MOMUS-Museum of Contemporary Art
- Loverdos Collection
- G. Costakis Collection
- studio precarity
- Y2K Architects
- Edeko Lighting Studio
Locations
- Thessaloniki
- Greece
- Athens
- Thessaloniki International Fair—HELEXPO
- Pavilions 2 & 3, 154 Egnatia Av., 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
- MOMUS-Museum of Contemporary Art, 154 Egnatia Av., TIF-HELEXPO premises, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Kalochori Lagoon, Axios Delta National Park, 57009 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Ios
- Zante