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01The Venice Biennale
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The Venice Biennale is the granddaddy of them all. Established in 1895, when world's fairs were the trend, the art from various nations were showcased in the Giardini (the Garden), which is host to several national pavilions, each with its own unique history of architectural development.
The huge exhibition has expanded in size throughout the city of Venice, with new pavilions and exhibition sites being added each time. The Venice Biennale takes place from June to November during odd-numbered calendar years.
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02Sao Paulo Biennial
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03documenta
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documenta in Kassel, Germany is not a biennial, since it is held every 5 years. However, it ranks in prestige and importance with the world's top biennials and triennials.
During its opening preview, arts professionals including artists, curators, museum directors, critics, art dealers, etc. from around the world attend. Established in 1955, documenta is one of the major must-see art exhibitions.
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04Biennale of Sydney
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05Havana Biennial
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06Istanbul Biennial
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The Istanbul Biennial in Turkey began in 1987 and takes place in the fall of odd-numbered years. It is one of the most prestigious art exhibitions for international contemporary art.
Like many of the other biennials, the art curator is chosen by committee. The curator then develops the concept, theme, and list of artists for the exhibition.
Another main feature of biennials is that they are not isolated museum exhibitions, but rather involve the entire city in its makeup, so parts of the biennial exhibition take place in galleries, abandoned factories, public parks, waterfronts, etc. There will also be seminars, workshops, tours, film screenings, etc.
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07Lyon Biennial
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08Dak'Art
The Dak'Art Biennial of Contemporary African Art in Dakar, Senegal began in 1992 and is held in May during even-numbered years. It features contemporary African art.
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09Sharjah Biennial
The Sharjah Biennial takes place in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Established in 1993 as a local art exhibition, by 2003 the focus changed to make it an international contemporary art biennial.
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10Berlin Biennial
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The Berlin Biennial is located in Berlin, Germany which is one of the biggest and most popular international artist communities in the world. Modeled after the Aperto exhibition in the Venice Biennale, the Berlin Biennial was established in 1998 to promote cutting-edge contemporary art and to reflect the city's importance as a vital art center.
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11Shanghai Biennale
Image courtesy Shanghai Museum. The Shanghai Biennale in China started in 1996 as an exhibition of local artists using traditional Chinese ink-painting techniques. In the year 2000, the seminal exhibition curated by Hou Hanru featured conceptual art, installation art, new media, video and digital art to create an international biennial.
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12Yokohama Triennial
The Yokohama Triennial in Japan, near Tokyo, is a triennial and not a biennial, so it takes place every three years instead of two. It was established in 2001.
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13Singapore Biennale
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14Whitney Biennial
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15Manifesta
The Top International Art Biennales (Biennials)
Whether you spell it the European way 'biennale' or the American way 'biennial', the meaning is the same: a mega art exhibition which takes place every two years.
The Biennial became an increasingly important international art exhibition, especially during the 1990s and sprouted in numerous cities. The Biennial also helped shift the focus of art from the major art centers to other locations, while aiding the local tourism industry.
In the late 1990s and 2000s, numerous conferences and academic texts explored the importance and relevance of the Biennial as a concept. One such text is The Biennial Reader anthology.