17th Biennale of Sydney

The greatest visual arts event in Australia, the 17th Biennale of Sydney, will be held from May 12 to August 1, 2010. Internationally recognized for showcasing fresh and innovative contemporary art forms from all over the world, its exhibitions are presented at Sydney¿s leading art venues, including the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Sydney¿s Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC). It also presents outdoor exhibitions in public areas around the famous Sydney Harbour. Each edition of the event includes new works created for specific public sites, as well as an international program of performances, talks, symposiums, and workshops, all of which are organized to complement the main event. For over 35 years ¿ since 1973 ¿ the Biennale of Sydney has presented 16 critically acclaimed, popular, large-scale exhibitions that have showcased the work of over 1,355 artists and 83 countries. Looking at its history, it is possible to see that this was one of the first events in Australia to promote cultural exchange, to defend free expression, and to defy the status quo. It was also one of the first events to underscore Australia¿s cultural and ethnic diversity ¿ in 1976 and 1979 ¿ the first event to showcase aboriginal artists in an international contemporary art context (1979), the first to focus on Asia and on the contemporary art of the Pacific region (1972 and 1976), and the first event ever held to present to a wide audience the art of the social movements that transformed Australian society (1979, 1982, and 1984).