Chengdu Biennale

The entrepreneur Deng Hong funded the first four biennales (from 2001). From the fifth event (2011 onwards), the biennale has been co-hosted by local official cultural institutions in Chengdu. After the sixth biennale in 2013, there was an interval of the official event until 2021. During this period, another art event took place, known as the Anren Biennale, mainly privately funded and operated, starting in 2017.{{cite web| url=https://www.biennialfoundation.org/biennials/anren-biennale/ | title=Anren Biennale | publisher=Biennial Foundation | date=2017 | access-date=21 November 2021 }}{{cite web| url=https://universes.art/en/anren-biennale/2017 | title=1st Anren Biennale 2017 | publisher=Universes in Universe | date=2017 | access-date=21 November 2021 }}{{cite web| url=https://culture360.asef.org/news-events/china-2nd-anren-biennale/ | title=China – 2nd Anren Biennale | website=culture360.ASEF.org | publisher=Asia-Europe Foundation | date=2019 | access-date=21 November 2021 }}

The 2021 Chengdu Biennale started on 6 November 2021, running until 6 April 2022.{{cite web| url=https://inf.news/en/culture/b1e6153915eeb098fb710349d9c186de.html | title=Super Fusion-2021 Chengdu Biennale" will be unveiled soon | work=iNEWS | date=2021 | access-date=14 November 2021 }} The official launch of the Tianfu Art Park in the Jinniu District of Chengdu was held on 6 November 2021, with the opening of two new museum buildings in the park,{{cite web| url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/two-new-museums-chengdu-china-2031489 | title=With the Opening of Two New Museums (and a Biennial), Chengdu Is Positioning Itself as the Art Capital of Southwest China | work=Artnet News | first=Vivienne | last=Chow | date=8 November 2021 | access-date=14 November 2021 }} operated by the Chengdu Art Academy.{{cite web| url=http://artasiapacific.com/News/TwoNewMuseumsDebutwithChengduBiennale | title=Two New Museum Debut with Changdu Biennale | first=Pamela | last=Wong | magazine=ArtAsiaPacific | date=3 November 2021 | access-date=14 November 2021 }} The Chengdu Art Museum surrounds a lake with two new museum buildings, the Chengdu Tianfu Art Museum and the Chengdu Museum of Contemporary Art. Artworks by more than 270 Chinese and international artists from 35 countries are on display at the biennale.{ The theme of the 2021 biennale is "Super Fusion".{{cite web| url=https://pandaily.com/2021-chengdu-biennale-art-illuminates-the-city-chengdu-embraces-the-world/ | title=2021 Chengdu Biennale Art Illuminates the City, Chengdu Embraces the World | work=Pandaily | author=Xu Xin | date=11 November 2021 | access-date=14 November 2021 }} Chinese artists exhibiting at the 2021 biennale include He Duoling, Liu Jiakun, Xu Bing, Zeng Fanzhi, Zhang Xiaogang, and Zhou Chunya. International artists include Daniel Buren, Yoan Capote, Leandro Erlich, Carsten Höller, Anish Kapoor,{{cite web| url=https://www.galleriacontinua.com/news-detail/super-fusion-2021-chengdu-biennale-721 | title=Super Fusion 2021 Chengdu Biennale | publisher=Galleria Continua | date=28 October 2021 | access-date=14 November 2021 }} and Jeremy Gardiner.{{cite web| url=https://jeremygardiner.co.uk/2021/11/09/chengdu-biennale-superfusion-chengdu-museum-of-contemporary-art-china/ | title=Chengdu Biennale – Superfusion – Chengdu Museum of Contemporary Art, China | publisher=Jeremy Gardiner | location=UK | date=9 November 2021 | access-date=14 November 2021 }}

The following Chengdu Biennales (from 2001) and Anren Biennales (from 2017) have taken place:

1. In 2001, the 1st Biennale "Yangban Model Art in China" invited 120 artists to participate, mainly paintings on the easel.{{cite book| editor=Deng Hong | title=Yangban Model Art in China the 1st Chengdu Biennale | publisher=Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House | location=Chengdu | isbn=7-5410-2031-1 | date=2001 }}
2. In 2005, the 2nd Biennale "Spectacle Century and Paradise" was internationalized, inviting six foreign artists to participate.{{cite book| editor=Deng Hong | title=The 2nd Chengdu Biennale | publisher=Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House | location=Chengdu | isbn=7-5410-2574-7 | date=2005 }} It was held in the New International Convention Center, Chengdu Century City.{{cite web| url=https://www.shanghartgallery.com/galleryarchive/artists/name/yangmian/bio | title=Yang Mian 杨冕 – Biography | work=ShanghART | access-date=21 November 2021 }}
3. In 2007, the 3rd Chengdu Biennale "Reboot" was held.{{cite book| editor1=Feng Bin | editor2=Kuiyi Shen | title=Reboot: The 3rd Chengdu Biennale | publisher=Hebei Fine Arts Publishing House | location=Shijiazhuang | isbn=978-7-5310-2880-2 | date=2007 }} Its curatorial team included the domestic curators Feng Bin and Lu Hong, cooperating with Britta Erickson and Kuiyi Shen from the United States.{{cite web| url=http://yishu-online.com/wp-content/uploads/mm-products/uploads/2008_v07_01_hatch_m_p059.pdf | title=Reboot – The Third Chengdu Biennale: A Review | first=Michael | last=Hatch | pages=59–69 | website=yishu-online.com | format=PDF | access-date=21 November 2021 }}
4. In 2009, the 4th Chengdu Biennale{{cite web| url=https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5514750 | title=Xin Dongwang | publisher=Christie's | date=27 November 2011 | access-date=21 November 2021 }} had "China Narratives" as the theme, with Jia Fangzhou and Zou Yuejin as curators, 120 participating artists, 271 works involving oil painting, ink painting, photography, video, sculpture, and installations. This exhibition was divided into five subthemes: "2008", "History", "Reality", "Urban", and "Rural".
5. In 2011, the 5th Chengdu Biennale invited Lü Peng as the chief curator, named "Changing Vistas: Creative Duration",{{cite book | title=Changing Vistas: Creative Duration, 2011 Chengdu Biennale | publisher=Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House | location=Chengdu | isbn=978-7-5410-4743-5 | date=2011 }} including contemporary art, design, and architecture.{{cite book| isbn=978-88-8158-835-0 | publisher=Edizioni Charta Srl | title=2011 Chengdu Biennale – Changing vistas: Creative duration | author1=Peng Lü | author-link1=Lü Peng (critic) | author2=Huazhang He | date=2012 }} Two hundred artists from China and abroad participate in this exhibition. This time, the event learned lessons from the model of the Venice Biennale, with one main exhibition and other special exhibitions held at 16 local art museums, which successfully attracted approximately 280,000 visitors. The right to operate the Chengdu Biennale was taken over by the Government.
6. In 2013, the 6th Chengdu Biennale{{cite web| url=https://ocula.com/artists/wu-chen/ | title=Wu Chen Biography | work=Ocula | date=2021 | access-date=21 November 2021 }} invited Feng Bin and Zhao Li as curators, consisting of two parts: "Relation" and "Young Artists of Ten Years".
7. The event was not held as scheduled in 2015.
8. In 2017, the 1st Anren Biennale, "Today's Yesterday", hosted by a private organization in Chengdu, invited 189 artists from 18 countries and regions and more than 800 works.
9. In 2019, the 2nd Anren Biennale, "A Confrontation of Ideals", was jointly curated by Lü Peng, He Guiyan, and the Dutch curator Siebe Tettero.
10. In 2021, the 3rd Anren Biennale invited Gu Yuan as the director, cooperating with the art critics/curators Wang Lin, Zhao Li, Xia Kejun, Gu Yuan, Elsa Wang, Li Xiaofeng, Wen Ya, etc. They separated the areas to become the curator of each subtheme, inviting 150 contemporary artists and exhibiting more than 300 works. In the same year, the 2021 Chengdu Biennale was held in Chengdu Tianfu Art Museum and Chengdu Museum of Contemporary Art,{{cite web| url=http://www.chengdubiennale.art/field.aspx?t=13 | title=Exhibition venue | work=2021 Chengdu Biennale | publisher=Chengdu Biennale | access-date=24 November 2021 }} and 272 artists were invited to participate, and 17 special invited exhibitions were exhibited in several local art galleries in Chengdu at the same time. For example, the special invited exhibition "Still on" was held in the Usunhome Art Museum.
11. In 2025, the Chengdu Biennale will return under the theme "Fireworks Index", which focuses on the living conditions of people across different time zones, and examines daily life within a complex and changing social environment. The curatorial team{{Cite web |last=Tianfu Art Museum |date=2025-03-28 |title=The curatorial team for the 2025 Chengdu Biennale |url=https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Nr_-fBbo7OPDus63AvVSog |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Weixin Official Accounts Platform}} for the 2025 edition includes prominent figures from both China and abroad: Fan Di'an, Lu Peng, Jay Xu, Wang Shaoqiang, Wu Hongliang, He Guiyan, Guillaume de Sardes, Martin Rendel, and Xiao Feige.

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• {{cite book| isbn=978-88-8158-835-0 | publisher=Edizioni Charta Srl | title=2011 Chengdu Biennale – Changing vistas: Creative duration | author1=Peng Lü | author-link1=Lü Peng (critic) | author2=Huazhang He | date=2012 }}

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• [http://www.chengdubiennale.art/ Chengdu Biennale website]

{{Biennales}}

Category:2001 establishments in China

Category:Recurring events established in 2001

Category:Art exhibitions in China

Category:Art biennials

Category:Contemporary art fairs

Category:Chinese contemporary art

Category:Arts in Chengdu

Category:Tourist attractions in Chengdu