The São Paulo Biennial 2010

The theme for the 2010 São Paulo Art Biennial is ‘the notion that it is impossible to separate art from politics’, which is represented by the line of the poem by Jorge de Lima: 'Há Sempre Um Copo de Mar para Um Homem Navegar' ('There's always a cup of sea to sail in'). More than 160 artists - around a third of whom hail from Brazil - will respond to this theme, showcasing their work at the Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion, Ibirapuera Park - the festival's traditional venue. 

Six terreiros (platforms) will be constructed at the Pavillion, to act as ‘dialogue hubs’ showing videos, music, dance, theatre and lectures, providing a place for visitors to watch, participate, debate and share their festival experiences. Familiar names taking part this year include Aernout Mik, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Eduardo Navarro, José Spaniol, Tacita Dean and Nuno Ramos. 

The biennial has offered tours, training and workshops since February this year, encouraging a consistent exchange of ideas and discussion: "the São Paulo Biennale is one of the most historically important appointments in the visual arts on the continent”, explains Chus Martinez, Chief Curator of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), guest curator of the Biennial and one of the ten curators of the Phaidon book Creamier. "It provides an opportunity to revise some very important historical materials, [and to] experiment in the way art and culture has been conceived in a continent acutely aware of its own cultural, political and economic position.”

Now on its 29th run, the contemporary art festival is held in São Paulo every other year.