IBA 11th General Assembly: Public Program

International Biennial Association (IBA) – 11th General Assembly Public Conference
Mending the Shores: Transforming Biennials for a Sustainable Future
October 13, 2024
Lyon, France

We are pleased to announce the public program for the 11th General Assembly of the International Biennial Association (IBA), held in partnership with La Biennale de Lyon during the 17th Lyon Biennale, titled “Mending the Shores: Transforming Biennials for a Sustainable Future”. This year’s conference brings together key thinkers and biennial makers to discuss critical global issues and how they influence ways to make biennials more sustainable and resilient institutions.

Keynote Address from Didier Gondola
The conference will open with a keynote address by Prof. Didier Gondola, who will explore themes such as the notion of hospitality and the ongoing discussion around the repatriation of looted artifacts. His address will provide insights into the complex cultural context in which we operate.

Panel Discussions

Following the keynote, the conference will feature three insightful panels exploring what we felt are key aspects to imagining a sustainable future for biennials.

Sustainability Through De-Growth? Between Ecological and Strategic Thinking – Lorenzo Giusti, Majd Abdel Hamid, Nataša Petrešin-Bachelez
In the context of a General Assembly strongly focused on the question of how to think about a sustainable format for biennials in the face of current challenges and long-standing questions about the exhibition model, this first panel wishes to explore new ways through which biennials can reposition themselves and move away from a logic of incremental growth while highlighting their positive cultural impact.

Inclusivity and Diversity: How to Broaden the Role of Society in All Its Complexity? – Alexia Fabre, Kate Brehme, Sam Lackey
When talking about a more sustainable model, we have to address also its ability to act as an inclusive and diverse cultural space. For us, the question of inclusivity encompasses a broad spectrum which embraces the notion of cultural inclusion of the local art production milieu as we are aware that their participation is critical in establishing a fruitful dialogue with local context and sensitivities. Likewise, we feel it is critical to discuss how to assure broad access to the exhibitions and their programs in order to expand the type of questions and approaches leading ultimately to a more comprehensive representation of contemporary discourses and society.

Solidarity and the Global Networks: What Role Can Biennials Play in Times of Global Polarisation and Conflict? – Hoor Al Qasimi, Julia Morandeira Arrizabalaga, Mouna Mekouar, Thiago de Paula Souza
This panel focuses more specifically on the sustainability of the model as a space of artistic freedom. In times in which we have seen increasing censorship throughout the world, we want to reflect with artists and institutions on how to protect the vital role biennials have as spaces of cultural dialogue. In the face of increased attempts of imposed control by political actors, we need to find new tools and languages to protect the voices of the artists we work with and their critical thoughts.

The 11th General Assembly aims to foster meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and critical thought in the biennial world. We hope to see many of you present to ensure that this assembly will offer important moments of reflection and growth!

Stay tuned for more details!