Liverpool Biennial: art extravaganza returns for 11th edition in 2020

Evan Ifekoya, Ritual Without Belief, 2018

Liverpool Biennial has revealed the artistic concept and title of its 11th edition next year, Getintothis’ Rick Leach has the details.

Titled The Stomach and the Port, Liverpool Biennial 2020 will take place from July 11 to October 25, curated by Manuela Moscoso with new Director, Fatoş Üstek, and the Liverpool Biennial team.

Liverpool Biennial is the UK’s largest festival of contemporary visual art.

Taking over historic buildings, unexpected spaces and art galleries, the Biennial has been transforming the city through art for over two decades.

A dynamic programme of free exhibitions, performances, screenings and fringe events unfolds over the 15 weeks, shining a light on the city’s vibrant cultural scene.

The Biennial programme is presented in locations across Liverpool, including public spaces, historic sites and the city’s leading art venues: Bluecoat, FACT, Open Eye Gallery, Tate Liverpool and Victoria Gallery & Museum. New for 2020, Liverpool Biennial’s reach will also expand to the city’s historic Fabric District and beyond.

Liverpool Biennial 2020 explores notions of the body and drawing on non-Western ways of thinking, The Stomach and the Port challenges an understanding of the individual as a defined, self-sufficient entity.

The body is instead seen as a fluid organism that is continuously shaped by and shaping its environment.

Liverpool Biennial 2020: The Stomach and the Port looks at the body and ways of connecting with the world.

Liverpool’s dynamic as a historical international port city – a point of global contact and circulation – provides the perfect ecosystem in which to locate these enquiries. More than 50 international artists have been invited to respond to the theme within the context of Liverpool.

Liverpool Biennial 2018: Beautiful world, where are you? – Getintothis’ reflection

Fatoş Üstek, Director of Liverpool Biennial, said: “We are thrilled to bring new horizons to the Biennial in 2020. We will be expanding further into public spaces with permanent and temporary artist commissions, whilst increasing our visibility in the city through our programming. We have brought together artists from the UK and around the globe, whose practices demonstrate a breadth of enquiry into the world we live in, to research and engage with Liverpool, its history and cultural landscape.”

Participating artists confirmed to date are: Larry Achiampong (UK/Ghana), Erick Beltrán (Mexico), Diego Bianchi (Argentina), Alice Channer (UK), Judy Chicago (USA), Ithell Colquhuon (UK), Christopher Cozier (Trinidad & Tobago), Yael Davids (Jerusalem/Netherlands), Ines Doujak (Austria) & John Barker (UK), Dr. Lakra (Mexico), Jadé Fadojutimi (UK), Jes Fan (Hong Kong/Canada), Lamin Fofana (Sierra Leone/USA), Ebony G. Patterson (Jamaica), Sonia Gomes (Brazil), Ane Graff (Norway), Ayesha Hameed (UK/Canada), Camille Henrot (France), Nicholas Hlobo (South Africa), Laura Huertas Millán (Colombia), Sohrab Hura (India), Evan Ifekoya (UK), Invernomuto (Italy) & Jim C. Nedd (Italy), Rashid Johnson (USA), KeKeÇa (Turkey), Jutta Koether (Germany), Last Yearz Interesting Negro (UK), Ligia Lewis (USA/Dominican Republic), Linder (UK), Luo Jr‐shin (Taiwan), Jorge Menna Barreto (Brazil), Haroon Mirza (UK), Neo Muyanga (South Africa), Pedro Neves Marques (Portugal), Roland Persson (Sweden), Anu Põder (Estonia), Reto Pulfer (Switzerland/Germany), André Romão (Portugal), Kathleen Ryan (USA), Zineb Sedira (France), Xaviera Simmons (USA), Teresa Solar (Spain), Daniel Steegmann Mangrané (Spain/Brazil), Jenna Sutela (Finland), UBERMORGEN (Austria/USA) & Leonardo Impett (UK/Italy), Luisa Ungar (Colombia/Austria), Alberta Whittle (Barbados), Zheng Bo (China), David Zink Yi (Peru/Germany)