Tres Bienn brings together 3 biennials of contemporary art that all take place over autumn 2007: the Athens Biennial, the Istanbul Biennial and the Lyon Biennial.
Tres Bienn illustrates the willingness for collaboration that is developing between these three events: exchange of artists and artistic projects, development of cultural interchange, joint communication and visibility strategies.
In 2007, Tres Bienn will initiate artistic collaborations, collaborative events, joint tourist packages and promotional activities at the Venice Biennial, Art Basel and Documenta.
1st ATHENS BIENNIAL
Destroy Athens
September 10 – November 18, 2007
Professional preview: 9 September 2007
Curators: Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, Poka-Yio, Augustine Zenakos
Main venue: Technopolis
Destroy Athens aims to attack stereotyping. It is an attempt to challenge the ways in which identities and behaviours are determined through stereotypical descriptions. The exhibition is inviting artists to employ the heretical treatment of the universal and timeless symbol of Athens as a pretext or as a metaphor for an assertion of self-determination.
Contact:
T: +30 210 5232222
E: contact@athensbiennial.org
www.athensbiennial.org
10th INTERNATIONAL ISTANBUL BIENNIAL
Not Only Possible, But Also Necessary: Optimism in the Age of Global War
September 8 – November 4, 2007
Professional preview: September 6 – 7, 2007
Curator: Hou Hanru
Venues: Antrepo No:3, AKM – Ataturk Cultural Centre, IMC – Istanbul Textile Traders’ Market, santralistanbul
The 10th International Istanbul Biennial will not be a thematic exhibition in the traditional manner; rather, it will emphasise artistic production based on collective intelligence and the living process of negotiating with physical sites. The biennial will focus on urban issues and architectural reality as a means of exposing different cultural contexts and artistic visions regarding the complex and diverse forms of modernity.
Contact:
T: +90 (212) 334 07 57
E: ist.biennial@iksv.org
www.iksv.org/bienal
For Press and Accreditations:
Ustungel Inanc (Mr.)
E: uinanc@iksv.org
9th LYON BIENNIAL
00s, The history of a decade that has not yet been named
September 19, 2007 – January 6, 2008
Professional preview: September 17 – 18, 2007
Curators: Stéphanie Moisdon & Hans Ulrich Obrist
Artistic Director: Thierry Raspail
Venues: La Sucrière, Institute of Contemporary art of Villeurbanne, Museum of Contemporary Art of Lyon, Fondation Bullukian
The project for the 9th Lyon Biennial is a history book written by a number of people. The history of a decade yet to be named; of a present that is endlessly arriving…
The project is structured like a grand game, in which some 60 “players” from around the world are invited to invite an essential artist of this decade. The ultimate purpose of this game, in which invitation is the rule, is to produce together an original landscape, and to create living matter from the archaeology of now.
Contact: Nicolas Garait
T: +33 4 72 07 41 41
E: pros@biennale-de-lyon.org
www.biennale-de-lyon.org
Tres Bienn: Events & Activities
The curators of the Athens, Istanbul and Lyon Biennials gave a joint public presentation during the opening days of the 52nd Venice Biennale. The discussion, entitled "The biennial is dead. Long live the biennial", included presentations by Poka-Yio & Augustine Zenakos (co-curators, with Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, 1st Athens Biennial), Hou Hanru (curator, 10th Istanbul Biennial), and Hans Ulrich Obrist & Stephanie Moisdon (curators, 9th Lyon Biennial), and was moderated by Rafal Niemojewski. The presentation took place on June 8th at Teatro Piccolo Arsenale.
The Athens Biennial, the Istanbul Biennial and the Lyon Biennial also jointly hosted their closest friends on a 'tres bienn' boat reception in Venice on June 7th at St Elena shore, close to the Giardini. Those present had the opportunity to informally discuss the prospects of the collaboration of the three biennials, and celebrate together with the organisers and curators the launch of this initiative.
Tres Bienn illustrates the willingness for collaboration that is developing between these three events: exchange of artists and artistic projects, development of cultural interchange, joint communication and visibility strategies.
In 2007, Tres Bienn will initiate artistic collaborations, collaborative events, joint tourist packages and promotional activities at the Venice Biennial, Art Basel and Documenta.
1st ATHENS BIENNIAL
Destroy Athens
September 10 – November 18, 2007
Professional preview: 9 September 2007
Curators: Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, Poka-Yio, Augustine Zenakos
Main venue: Technopolis
Destroy Athens aims to attack stereotyping. It is an attempt to challenge the ways in which identities and behaviours are determined through stereotypical descriptions. The exhibition is inviting artists to employ the heretical treatment of the universal and timeless symbol of Athens as a pretext or as a metaphor for an assertion of self-determination.
Contact:
T: +30 210 5232222
E: contact@athensbiennial.org
www.athensbiennial.org
10th INTERNATIONAL ISTANBUL BIENNIAL
Not Only Possible, But Also Necessary: Optimism in the Age of Global War
September 8 – November 4, 2007
Professional preview: September 6 – 7, 2007
Curator: Hou Hanru
Venues: Antrepo No:3, AKM – Ataturk Cultural Centre, IMC – Istanbul Textile Traders’ Market, santralistanbul
The 10th International Istanbul Biennial will not be a thematic exhibition in the traditional manner; rather, it will emphasise artistic production based on collective intelligence and the living process of negotiating with physical sites. The biennial will focus on urban issues and architectural reality as a means of exposing different cultural contexts and artistic visions regarding the complex and diverse forms of modernity.
Contact:
T: +90 (212) 334 07 57
E: ist.biennial@iksv.org
www.iksv.org/bienal
For Press and Accreditations:
Ustungel Inanc (Mr.)
E: uinanc@iksv.org
9th LYON BIENNIAL
00s, The history of a decade that has not yet been named
September 19, 2007 – January 6, 2008
Professional preview: September 17 – 18, 2007
Curators: Stéphanie Moisdon & Hans Ulrich Obrist
Artistic Director: Thierry Raspail
Venues: La Sucrière, Institute of Contemporary art of Villeurbanne, Museum of Contemporary Art of Lyon, Fondation Bullukian
The project for the 9th Lyon Biennial is a history book written by a number of people. The history of a decade yet to be named; of a present that is endlessly arriving…
The project is structured like a grand game, in which some 60 “players” from around the world are invited to invite an essential artist of this decade. The ultimate purpose of this game, in which invitation is the rule, is to produce together an original landscape, and to create living matter from the archaeology of now.
Contact: Nicolas Garait
T: +33 4 72 07 41 41
E: pros@biennale-de-lyon.org
www.biennale-de-lyon.org
Tres Bienn: Events & Activities
The curators of the Athens, Istanbul and Lyon Biennials gave a joint public presentation during the opening days of the 52nd Venice Biennale. The discussion, entitled "The biennial is dead. Long live the biennial", included presentations by Poka-Yio & Augustine Zenakos (co-curators, with Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, 1st Athens Biennial), Hou Hanru (curator, 10th Istanbul Biennial), and Hans Ulrich Obrist & Stephanie Moisdon (curators, 9th Lyon Biennial), and was moderated by Rafal Niemojewski. The presentation took place on June 8th at Teatro Piccolo Arsenale.
The Athens Biennial, the Istanbul Biennial and the Lyon Biennial also jointly hosted their closest friends on a 'tres bienn' boat reception in Venice on June 7th at St Elena shore, close to the Giardini. Those present had the opportunity to informally discuss the prospects of the collaboration of the three biennials, and celebrate together with the organisers and curators the launch of this initiative.
