STRUGGLETRAIN

BIENNALE is Italian for every other year, and describes an event that happens every two years.

It is frequently used within the International Art World;

the Venice Biennale began in 1895

and the 52^nd International Art Exhibition, curated by American, Robert Storr,

in 2007, had the most attendance, during the active months of June through November, for the past 25 years. 76 countries exhibited at this prominent cultural institution. consisting of a variety of pavilions scattered around the Italian city.

30 African Artists exhibited (left; is the African Pavilion, entrance)

Amongst the artists were; Yinka Shonibare with his installation "How to Blow Up Two Heads At Once"2006 and Ghada Amer's "not about orange" 2007

(Acrylic,embroidery and gel mediums on canvas) A great favourite of mine, El Anatsui , from Ghana, was there ! http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/15/arts/design/15veni.html?_r=1&oref=slogin The above website is worth looking at! Willie Bester was at the Venice Biennale in 1993 " Semekazi "(Migrant miseries) 1993 Mixed media in board 125 x 125 cm From his CV: Venice Biennale, INCROCI DEL SUD : An exhibition of works by 27 contemporary South African Artists

The Australian Biennale in Sydney,

with "Revolutions-Forms that turn", opens on June 18th 2008

and will continue through to September 7th 2008.

The first Sydney Biennale was in 1973,

and is still Australia's largest contemporary visual arts event.

They are looking for enthusiastic volunteers: http://www.bos2008.com/page/become_a_volunteer.html Great Opportunity for those who live a little nearer! http://www.bos2008.com/revolutionsonline/?p=118

"Lamentations" 2006-07

There will be a new video and sound installation

by Norweigan artist Anawana Haloba.

Filmed in the Australian desert and expressing

experiences of Women

from different cultures and perspectives.

She creates instinctual and psychological effects in the viewer.

This looks very interesting;

at first I thought the tongue, in the video was a nipple - silly me!

More than 180 artists will participate both new and avant-gardes of the last century.The curator will be Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev. who is very interested in relationships of the avant-gardes and the contemporary artist. Movement and a desire for change are strong features this year. Part of the exhibition will be at the former prison and shipyard called Cockatoo Island.Sounds great!

I have subscribed for their eNews ,

as they will be premiering an extraordinary online venue.

This will be for the first time worldwide!

http://www.bos2008.com/app/biennale/venue/8

American Michael Rakowitz's will be there;

he deals with the destruction of Iraq's cultural treasures.

Archaeological objects looted from the National Museum of Iraq

after the American invasion in April 2003.

A series of his work is made from Middle Eastern food packaging

and Arabic newspapers found in Arab communities in America.

"Headless Male Figure" (Recovered, Missing, Stolen Series),

2007

Australian Tracey Moffat's "Under the Sign of Scorpio"

2007 is amongst the new works.

Anthony McCall will be at the

Singapore Viennale

in September till November 08, as well as 50 other artists.

http://www.singaporebiennale.org/artists.php http://www.singaporebiennale.org/kidsbiennale.html

Part of the biennale will be for children,the website above says:

"A Biennale just for the Kids! Presented by Jet Airways,

Singapore Biennale

has worked together Little Art Bug Workshop

to design an integrated programme to introduce Primary school children

to this year’s theme of Wonder.

Beginning in their classrooms,

children will learn both art techniques and concepts inspired by the story of Alice in Wonderland

and Singapore Biennale artists"

The Official beginning of the Singapore Biennale was in 2006.

The creative concept was the marrying visual art with street culture.

A lovely website which had similarities to the ideas

Willie Bester Has on his Website.

It is this magical feeling when you click on the paper bag etc.

http://singaporebiennale.org/2006/about.html

It excites me for future work for my own website!

The 1st Istanbul Viennale

was held in 1987.

For the 10th, in 2007, five curators from Turkey

were invited to select over150 short videos

from the public.

These were shown at night in public spaces.

I know I would have enjoyed that. "Nightcomers" The theme of this Biennale was "Not only Possible, but Also Necessary: Optimism in the Age of Global War" Focusing on urban issues and diverse forms of modernity, more than 100 artists participated. (Left) "Lessons of Love" 2007 by Hamra Abbas, was made in coloured plasticine. Hamra was born in Kuwait and she works in Aslamabad and Berlin, through her practice she playfully approaches accepted traditions . She also participated in the Sydney Biennale 2006.

Dak'Art Biennale

has been held in Africa since 1992, under the patronage of Senegal's Ministry of Culture. In May 2008 , the 8th Biennale will exhibit African contemporary artists, particularly those living in Africa and works not shown, before, in an International exhibition. The theme "Mirror in relation to Africa's Current Presence in the World" Crucial issues for those who live in Africa and the African diaspora. Congolese Cheri Samba will be there. "Le Lavement" (the Enema) (Left) Says Cheri "I want to change our mentality that keeps us isolated from the world. I appeal to people's consciences. artists must make people think." "critics in Kinshasa have never accepted the phrases in my paintings,".

Willie Bester was there in 1998. (Biennale de l'Art Contemporian, Dakar, Senegal )

My wish is to one day be able to visit an African Biennale.

The Havana Biennale

was established in 1984 when the focus was on artists who lived in Latin America

and the Caribbean.

After 1986 the Havana Biennale invited African and Asian artists and this Biennale became

and still is an important meeting place.

The Biennale has not been held every 2 years; the 9th being held in March to April 2006

and the next will be in 2009,

when a more "open concept" of invite has been announced.

It will emphasise "Integration and Resistance in the Global Age"

http://universes-in-universe.de/car/english.htm The above website of Universes in Universe writes, quote:

"The 10th Biennial of Havana will address, on the one hand,

the complexities of a real and active process of integration

to the global order and, on the other,

the capacity to challenge the homogenizing farce

this process presupposes. "

Guess what? yea! Willie Bester was there too; in 1994 (5th Havana Biennale, Cuba )

The American Whitney Biennale

in New York, 2008, began March 6th , questioning the staging and display

of art and exploring " fluid communication structures".

So it's on NOW!

http://www.whitney.org/

Ah that is better!

A website which gives a substancial amount of interesting information on all 81

Artists.

Coco Fusco

A Room of One’s Own: Women and Power in the New America ,

Spike Lee,

Spike Lee, Spike Lee in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina during the production of When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, 2006.

and Eduardo Sarabia

Eduardo Sarabia, Babylon Bar, 2006.

are amongst the artist.

Fia Backstöm, A New Order for a New Economy--to Form and Content (A proposal to re-arrange the ads of Artforum), 2006-07.

Fia Backström’s work explores the logic of display and structural limits or disciplines.

There is a strong imput of videos including music and other performance,

movement workshops, radio broadcasts, publishing projects,

community-based activities, film screenings,

culinary gatherings, and lectures.

On the 10th/11th April were afternoons and seminars with some of the artists.

The "Artist License" seems always to bring debate rather than offer free expression, in America.

I have subscribed to their newsletter aswell.

The Liverpool Biennial

was established byJames Moores James Moores in 1998

and has presented festivals in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2006.

The 5th festival opens on 20th September 2008,

as part of Liverpool's year as Capital of Culture.

The festival consists of four strands,

with half of the 30-40 new commissions appearing in public spaces around the city.

One of my favourites, Antony Gormley’s installation "Another Place"

was brought to Crosby Beach by Liverpool Biennial

with South Sefton Partnership in 2005.

Programmes in the 2008 Liverpool Biennial will include:

the John Moores 25 Exhibition of Contemporary Painting,

national open painting competition

and Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2008,

the annual exhibition by students and recent graduates of Fine Art colleges

throughout the UK.

There will be a strong focus on the power of the mind ;

when faced with complete abstraction and extreme sensory deprivation.

This will be in collaboration with the Tate Liverpool "Open Eye Gallery"

I have registered with the Liverpool Biennale aswell,

now this is one I can, and look forward to visit.

"Email applications to jobs@biennial.com or post them to Lorna Woods Moses, Liverpool Biennial, 55 New Bird Street, PO Box 1200, L69 1XB."

I just realised that the closing date was April 5. Never mind 2 years time will be when I finish my study!

(Left) world Map of 16 Biennales depicted on the Havana Biennales Website

Says Thierry de Duve, writing in

Volume 21 of Third Text ,

pages 681-688,

" Their number increases at a crazy pace,

and though Europe still houses the majority of them,

the so-called periphery,

Asia in the first place, is quickly catching up; as of today, estimates oscillate

between eighty and 140 art biennials scattered around the world. "

"A success of a biennial also has to do with the changing of the balance of power

in the international art world by focusing critical attention away from the

dominant cultural centers and towards the periphery".

"Doesn't the West make an abusive usage of art biennials as a mode of

externalization of its production or of its aesthetic options,

the way it does with its economic action,

by delocalizing and exploiting for its own profit today's globalization of the world".

In writing this Blog I have experienced, as expected, many negative racial issues.

I feel the Bourgeoisie of the West, is still firmly rooted in the "Biennale".

Is there always a seperate display of African Art?

Would African artists want it any other way?

Why cannot Global Art be simply categorised by for example: subject.

Yet, I as a student need to be involved with much more intense research,

to emphatically state my "unwritten line" findings.

"There are artists who inspire entire generations

and these key artists are not always the most visible

in the world of museums and fairs."

"The geography of the art world

has been expanding rapidly with new centers emerging:

China, India, the Middle East...

It will be my ambition to create a show that,

although articulated into

individual zones of intensity,

remains one exhibition." says Daniel Birnbaum,

curator of the future 53rd Venice Biennale.

It is time for a change!!

I would appreciate any comments from you, the reader,

especially if you have visited a Biennale recently.