Biennaalit

Biennaalit are recurring international exhibitions or cultural events that occur every two years. The term is used for art biennials, but also for related fields such as architecture, film, and design. They bring together contemporary artists, architects, curators, and institutions from multiple countries and provide a platform for new work, critical discourse, and cross-cultural exchange. Many biennials organize national pavilions in a host city, with works selected by curators and juries; they often feature awards, commissions, publications, and accompanying programs.

The concept originated in the late 19th century with the Venice Biennale (established 1895), which became a model for later events. Since then, major biennials have appeared around the world, including the São Paulo Art Biennial (1951), the Istanbul Biennial (1987), the Lyon Biennale (Biennale de Lyon), and the Whitney Biennial in the United States. Each event typically has a central exhibition and several collateral shows, symposia, and performances across venues in the host city.

While the name implies a two-year cycle, some biennials have irregular schedules or temporarily rearranged calendars, and a few have shifted to triennial or quadrennial rhythms. Nevertheless, biennials continue to be a key mechanism for presenting contemporary work to international audiences, testing new ideas, and shaping taste and discourse in the art world. They also influence the cultural economy of host cities through tourism, sponsorship, and international visibility.