IBA 11th General Assembly: Panel 1 Sustainability Through De-Growth? Between Ecological and Strategic Thinking

IBA 11th General Assembly Public Program

Continuing our series for Mending the Shores: Transforming Biennials for a Sustainable Future, the public conference of the 11th General Assembly of the International Biennial Association, we are excited to introduce our first panel:

Sustainability Through De-Growth? Between Ecological and Strategic Thinking

In the context of a General Assembly focused on reimagining a sustainable format for biennials amidst current global challenges and long-standing questions surrounding the exhibition model, this panel will explore how biennials can reposition themselves by moving away from a logic of incremental growth. The discussion will focus on balancing the positive cultural impact of biennials while addressing ecological and strategic concerns, challenging the field to think differently about sustainability.

We are pleased to announce three distinguished speakers who will share their insights:

• • Nataša Petrešin-Bachelez
    Nataša Petrešin-Bachelez (b. 1976, Ljubljana) is an interdependent curator, editor, and writer. Since 2021, she has been the Arts and Culture Programme Manager at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris. Her curatorial work includes exhibitions such as “When Solidarity Is Not a Metaphor” (Venice, 2024), “Ces voix qui m’assiègent” (2024), and “Trailblazers: Feminism, Camera in Hand and Archive over the Shoulder” (2023). Nataša has previously curated Contour Biennale 9: Coltan as Cotton (2019) and Defiant Muses at LaM, Lille, and Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid. She is a co-founder of the Initiative for Practices and Visions of Radical Care.
  • Majd Abdel Hamid
    Majd Abdel Hamid is a Palestinian visual artist born in Damascus in 1988, currently based between Beirut and Paris. A graduate of Malmö Art Academy in Sweden, his work has been exhibited at CCA Glasgow, gb agency in Paris, Fondation d’Entreprise Hermès in Brussels, and Sharjah Art Museum, among others. Majd’s work explores themes of memory, time, and political history, utilizing embroidery and other mediums to navigate complex narratives of displacement. He is currently an artist in residence at Cité internationale des arts in Paris and exhibiting at the 17th Biennale de Lyon.
  • Lorenzo Giusti
    Lorenzo Giusti (Ph.D.) is an Italian art historian and curator, currently serving as Director of GAMeC in Bergamo since 2018. He has curated exhibitions and retrospectives for prominent 20th-century artists and is known for his focus on the relationship between historical avant-gardes and contemporary languages. More recently he has initiated the long-term research and exhibition program “Thinking Like a Mountain” which fosters dialogue between artists and scientists on themes of environmental sustainability and the preservation of ecosystems. Furthermore he has curated the 9th Biennale Gherdëina in 2024 with the title “The parliament of marmots”. Lorenzo’s work explores the intersection of ecological thinking and visual arts, making him a key figure in contemporary art discourse on sustainability.

We are certain this panel will lay the foundation for meaningful discussions on how biennials can respond to global ecological imperatives while making impactful contributions to the arts and cultural fields.

Don’t miss this insightful panel and the rest of the program, part of the 11th General Assembly, organised in partnership with La Biennale de Lyon.

For more information about the 17th Lyon Biennale, please visit their website: www.labiennaledelyon.com

Find details required to plan your visit, including a list of recommended hotels. You may also find practical information for getting around Lyon here.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@biennialassociation.org. We look forward to meeting you in Lyon!