The Age of Magical Thinking

Liverpool Biennial reveals the title and participating artists for its 14th edition, The Age of Magical Thinking. The Biennial is curated by Aimee Harrison and Lucía Sanromán and will run between June 5 and September 19, 2027.  

The Age of Magical Thinking explores the universally shared experience of childhood and youth as a time marked by change. Childhood involves experiencing the uncertainty of the present as a transition—an invitation towards the yet-to-be. The exhibition brings together artists who invite immersion in the present as an antidote to our catastrophic world, and artworks that create critical alternatives, and sometimes fantastical realities, as escape routes from a dystopic future. 

The exhibition references psychologist Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, describing how children make sense of the world, through lines blurred between reality and make-believe—fuelling creativity. More recently, ‘magical thinking' has described the effects of ideological polarisation, authoritarian rhetoric, and swarm political behaviour. It has also been used to discuss the world-shaping challenges brought by technology and Artificial Intelligence. 

Throughout the city, artworks will explore the complexity of the past, address the uncertainty of the present, and provoke necessary questions about the future. The participating artists are: 

Ad Minoliti, Amalia Pica, Anya Paintsil, Charmaine Poh, Dor Guez, Elias Nafaa, Francis Alÿs, Harold Offeh, Hiroko Kubo, Immy Mali, Iván Argote, the vacuum cleaner, Laakkuluk Williamson, Wen Cheng Lee, Marilyn Boror Bor, EBB.Global, Petrit Halilaj, Rineke Dijkstra, Robert Gabris, Ronak & Roza Moshtaghi, Ruth Ewan, Tania Candiani, Yarema Malashchuk and Roman Khimei, Zohra Opoku. 

Lucía Sanromán, Co-Curator, Liverpool Biennial 2027, said: “I am deeply committed to socially engaged and participatory forms of art, so working on a Biennial informed by the perspectives and experiences of children and young people has given Aimee and I a lens to face the complexity of this global political moment. Childhood and youth is a period of constant transition, but also a time that demands the urgency to question the present. Artists in the exhibition give us insights into the imagination of childhood, spurring us to boldly demand a better future.”  

Aimee Harrison, Co-Curator, Liverpool Biennial 2027, said: "It’s been a long-held passion of mine to bring together artists to explore a stage of development that we have all shared. This Biennial invites us to learn alongside children about living in a world that is both hard and full of possibility. Lucia and I have had the privilege of exploring these complexities with these incredible artists. It is an important reminder of why the perspectives of children and young people are vital to the present and future of our cultural spaces, places and creative practice.” 

Dr Samantha Lackey, Director, Liverpool Biennial, said: "We are very grateful for the support of our core funders Arts Council England, Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Accommodation BID for enabling us to achieve our mission of sharing extraordinary contemporary art with everyone." 

Liverpool Biennial is the UK's largest free festival of contemporary art. Taking place in galleries, historic buildings and unexpected spaces, the Biennial has been transforming the city through art for over two decades. In Williamson Square, Harold Offeh and a group of local young people will co-create a large-scale public artwork, with public activities taking place throughout summer 2027. This forms part of a dynamic programme of free events, including performances, parties and community gatherings. 

The Biennial programme is presented in Liverpool's art galleries and the public realm. It is presented in partnership with the city's leading art venues, including Bluecoat, Exhibition Research Lab, Liverpool John Moores University, FACT Liverpool, Open Eye Gallery, Victoria Gallery & Museum, and Walker Art Gallery. The festival will also return to Liverpool Cathedral, with further venues and sites announced in spring 2027. 

Register here for the Liverpool Biennial 2027 previews and opening programme on June 3 and 4,  2027.