A storm of Biennials is ready to shake us and we must be ready to take all the hits and bumps… If from one side it’s started the countdown for the Venice Biennale from worldwide there’s no lack of similar initiatives and what we can only do is to stay tuned.
But get to the point. During this rich 2019, even the Est is ready to not disappoint the expectations, and from 22 November 2019 to 22 March 2020, Sarà Patrick D. Flores will lead the curatorial team of the SB2019 (Singapore Biennale 2019).
Six experts - Andrea Famand and John Tung (assistant curator at the Singapore Art Museu), Goh Sze Ying (assistant curator at the National Gallery in Singapore), Renan Laru-an (independent curator living in Manila), Anca Verona Mihulet (art historian and curator of Seoul), Vipash Purichanont (curator from Bangkok) - one big hope:
“Every Step In The Right Direction”
Yes because this is the heading chosen as the main topic of this manifestation dedicated on the imperative of making choices and taking the steps to consider current conditions and human endeavour for change and betterment.
SB2019 want to reflect on the potential and abilities of the artists to rework the possibilities of the world. The biennial even invites the audience to be open to such works and to such a world that is made different through the making of these works, and, thus, also attempting to make the world right. Through the act of artistic exploration, SB2019 invites participation to transform the world around us and to get things done the right way. This process begins with a step, from a crucial decision to make changes happen. The reiteration of this commitment leads to the right direction – a direction that each of us is entitled to move towards. Informed by such an impulse, SB2019 offers a sustainable, self- renewing project of change, and moves everyone to act – to make a step.
The long Singapore Biennial will be held in different locations: the Singapore Art Museum is the main one with the Asian Civilizations Museum (both extremely active in the organization), then the National Gallery of Singapore, the Singapore Management University, and the Gillman Barracks centre and the Peranakan Museum. As the director Flores declared:
It may be said that the world is troubled. To sense such a state of flux is to begin to face it. What is the possibility of art, the artist, and the audience in light of this trouble? What is the responsibility of the artwork, its making, and its experience in the prospects of future action? Every effort to change the world for the better matters. The Singapore Biennale 2019 puts its faith squarely in the potential of art (and its understanding) to rework the world, expressed in the Biennale title: Every Step in the Right Direction. In this examination of act and action, the Biennale then considers the necessity of the step, that is prompted by the Biennale’s geography, itself spanning nodes and locations across the city of Singapore, thus inviting audiences to be inspired in an exploration. Furthermore, we observe this everyday but decisive act of walking in artistic practices, such as of Singapore artist, Amanda Heng. Utilising the act of walking in a number of performances (for example, Let’s Walk, first performed in 1999), Heng presents her audience with moments for moving forward, looking back, turning inward, venturing outward with others, in so doing, engendering reflection, the speculation or adoption of other perspectives, and the consideration of pasts.
Well, an important prayer to the art world that doesn't result new in a Biennal context as evidenced by the 56th Venice Biennal "All the Futures World" signed by Okwui Enwezor in 2015. Even in this case art was invest by a very political role but Can art really help to change something?
*Credit picture in the cover by Dennis Tan - in the magazine leading page a view of the Asian Civilisation Museum.
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