18th Biennale of Sydney opening at the MCA

Ling Meewei (2009) 'The Mending Project':
an interactive piece looking at healing, where  the audience can bring in clothes to mend.

The theme for this year's Sydney Biennale is 'All Our Relations', a concept primarily brought to life by international curators Gerald McMaster and Catherine de Zegher. As an addition to the iconic sandstone building, the modern new spaces are now host to a variety of artworks with a variety of ideas. Overall, the art seems much more approachable in comparison to previous MCA exhibits, with works returning back to traditional media of canvas, film and sculpture - that's to say, there were no 'statement' works, piles of clothes, rocks etc. 

Zoe Keramea (2010) 'Leopard Moth':
There are a few of these scattered around the exhibit,
hand-folded paper and thread looking at manipulation of textures. 

Director Liz Ann Macgregor has done a great job of making the entire experience more interactive - a great number of artists were hanging around their work ready to chat to the public, and will be continuing to do so throughout the next three months of the Biennale. The key term brought up by Macgregor in her speech was connection, as well as collaboration, and there is definitely an atmosphere of that throughout the exhibit. De Zegher will also be working on next year's Australian pavilion in the Venice Biennale, so it will be interesting to see what she curates. The Sydney Biennale is extended to other venues, including Walsh Bay, Cockatoo Island and the Art Gallery of NSW.

Pinaree Sanpitak (2009) 'Anything Can Break':
handmade paper, glass and sound system suspended from the ceiling.