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Biennale Art Expos of the World: 1885 to Present

Created and run by committed art connoisseurs, this website is devoted entirely to the world’s most influential art Biennales and the talented artists and artwork featured therein. Here, readers will find a range of insightful articles about great art festivals of the past, present and future, all of which are accompanied by extensive photo galleries.

What is a ‘Biennale’?

In the art world, a ‘biennale’ is typically understood to mean a large, international art exhibition that convenes every other year (i.e., biennially) in a certain location. The year 1895 saw the first-ever such event, which was held in Giardini Park in Venice (where it is still held today). Over the course of the 20th century, the Biennale format became increasingly popular among organizers. By the turn of the millennium, more than 40 Biennales were being held regularly all over the world.

Biennales in the 21st Century

The recent increase in the number of biennales comes largely as a result of a boom in international art sales that occurred in the 1990s and early 2000s. In the first half of the 20th century, Biennales primarily featured European art. Still, most biennial exhibitions today include artwork from all over the world, including the Middle East, Africa, Asia, South America and Oceania. This website covers the most celebrated contemporary Biennales, including the Beijing Biennale, the Liverpool Biennale, the Prague Biennale, the São Paulo Biennale and the Sharjah Biennale in the Arabian Gulf.