International Biennial Association’s 4th General Assembly

The 4th General Assembly of the International Biennial Association (IBA) took place from September 25 to 28, 2017 in Yokohama, Japan. The three-day event was co-hosted and co-organised with the Organizing Committee for Yokohama Triennale.

Bringing together the IBA’s international membership, drawn from over 45 different countries, the annual assembly provides a discursive platform around issues important to the future development of the global biennial community. Generous support provided by Bloomberg enabled representatives and members from biennials and triennials around the world to attend.

Highlights of this year’s public programme included an international seminar, held by the Organizing Committee for Yokohama Triennale and the Government of Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. Soichiro Fukutake, founder of the Benesse Art Site Naoshima and Honorary Adviser of Benesse Holdings, Inc., presented a keynote speech on the ways in which cultivating contemporary art on the island had transformed its social infrastructure. This related to the session’s broader interrogation of the role of recurring art exhibitions in shaping community rejuvenation, city branding, and generating new social values. Titled “CONNECTIVITY AS A METHOD? The Future of Biennales and Triennales,” a series of discussions, with panellists such as Jun’ye Yamaide (Executive Director of NPO ‘BEPPU PROJECT’ and artist) and Thiago de Paulo Souza (curator and educator), explored the changing nature and methods of recurring art exhibitions against the backdrop of globalisation—particularly, the ways that biennials and triennials have begun to experiment with alternative ways of working with artists and other professionals. 

Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, was elected as the second President of the International Biennial Association. This vote came after Yongwoo Lee, the first President of IBA, announced his decision not to seek re-election.

Bige Örer (Istanbul Biennial), current vice president of IBA, was re-elected for the next three-year term. Elke aus dem Moore (ifa), Eriko Osaka (Yokohama Triennale), Gabriele Horn (Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art), Margarita Gonzalez (Havana Biennial), and Yongwoo Lee (Shanghai Project) were also re-elected to serve as members of the board. In addition, Nevenka Šivavec (Biennial of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana) and Sunjung Kim (Gwangju Biennale Foundation) were newly elected as board members.

Connect with an IBA Membership
IBA members receive several benefits, including invitations to the General Assembly and other IBA conferences. Members may also connect online using the IBA website’s Interactive Space, through which networking and the communication of ideas is highly encouraged. Additionally, new members receive a Membership Card that grants access to all events organised by IBA as well as free admission to those institutions participating in our Free Admission Program.

The three member categories include Individual, Institutional and Associate. Individual and Institutional members are able to vote for IBA representatives. All members are encouraged to be active participants of the association.

Applications are accepted through the IBA website: www.biennialassociation.org.

Executive Board
President: Hoor Al Qasimi (Sharjah Art Foundation)
Vice President: Sally Tallant (Liverpool Biennial)
Vice President: Bige Örer (Istanbul Biennial)

Board Members (Listed alphabetically by given name)
Alisa Prudnikova (Ural Industrial Biennale) / Elke aus dem Moore (ifa – Institute for International Cultural Relations) / Eriko Osaka (Yokohama Triennale) / Gabriele Horn (Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art) / Margarita Gonzalez (Havana Biennial) / Nevenka Šivavec (MGLC - International Centre of Graphic Arts) / Sylvie Fortin (Independent curator, critic and editor) / Sunjung Kim (Gwangju Biennale Foundation) / Yongwoo Lee (Shanghai Project)

For inquiries, please contact: info [​at​] biennialassociation.org.

International Biennial Association (IBA)
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Buk-gu, Gwangju, Republic of Korea 61104
www.biennialassociation.org
T +82 62 608 4132 / F +82 62 608 4139