TOUCHED, the title of the International exhibition for the 6th Liverpool Biennial International Festival of Contemporary Art, 18 September – 28 November 2010, was announced today by Lewis Biggs, Artistic Director.
Liverpool Biennial is the UK’s largest as well as one of the most exciting contemporary visual arts events, and with 960,000 visits in 2008, it is one of the best attended in the world.
The 2010 international show will celebrate a decade of commissioning new art – more than 200 artworks - through curatorial collaboration. As a result of Liverpool Biennial’s success, commissioning and collaboration have become increasingly common strategies globally for Biennials and Triennials during this period.
Touched will consist of new art that succeeds in affecting the viewer: art that moves us in mind, body and soul.
The new commissions for Touched will be announced early spring 2010.
Lewis Biggs comments: “The discussions within the curatorial team set out with the recognition that if art is to be memorable, interesting or influential it has to start by moving us.”
“Touched presents affective art, and so becomes a sketch map of the affections - passion, rage, lust, pleasure, fear and joy. Throughout history, artists have refreshed their practice through returning to these permanent motivators in the human psyche. The collapse and restructuring of financial markets in the countries formerly known as G8 has given urgency to our need for an art whose outlook is characterised by inter-dependence and mutual responsibility. Artists depend on their art touching its audience to communicate shared meaning. The erotic frisson between art and its audience is the same as that between individuals who share interests.”
The curatorial team for Touched is Lorenzo Fusi, Liverpool Biennial (non-gallery sites); Peter Gorschlüter (Tate Liverpool); Patrick Henry (Open Eye Gallery); Sara-Jayne Parsons (the Bluecoat); Mike Stubbs (FACT – Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) and Mark Waugh (Afoundation / Greenland Street).
Liverpool Biennial is supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), said: “Liverpool Biennial has established itself as a truly international event and has already touched thousands of people over the past decade. We are delighted to be able to support the 2010 event, which will once again be a showcase for the city. As well as bringing international talent to Liverpool, the Biennial also helps us to cement our reputation as a vibrant, culturally dynamic region on a world-wide stage.”
For further press information please contact Catharine Braithwaite on 07947 644 110 or cat@we-r-lethal.com
Notes to Editors:
Liverpool Biennial International Festival of Contemporary Art was conceived and founded by James Moores (with Jane Rankin Read, Lewis Biggs and Bryan Biggs) in 1998, and is presented free to the public every two years over a ten week period.
The Festival includes the John Moores Painting Competition and Bloomberg New Contemporaries (both UK based competitions that have been running for more than 50 years). The first Liverpool Biennial took place in 1999, with Tony Bond as artistic director and curator of the
International exhibition, which followed the model of the main exhibition in other established Biennales such as
Venice and
Sydney in that it took place in a number of different locations across the city centre.
In 2000, Lewis Biggs became Chief Executive and Artistic Director and instituted an additional characteristic that remains unique among Biennials globally: since 2002, Liverpool Biennial’s International has provided a collaborative curatorial platform for artworks especially commissioned for the exhibition, many of which are shown in non-gallery sites and may be ephemeral.
Liverpool Biennial International Festival of Contemporary Art 2010 will take place in venues and sites around Liverpool City Centre, including the Walker Art Gallery, FACT (Foundation for art and creative technology) the Bluecoat, Open Eye Gallery, Tate Liverpool, Afoundation, and many other gallery and non- gallery sites. Visit biennial.com
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Between 2007 and 2013 the Northwest of England will receive a total of £521 million (dependent on exchange rate) from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Managed by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), this funding will enhance the competitiveness of the region’s economy by supporting growth in employment and enterprise.
Key targets for the NWOP include:
• Creating 26,700 net additional jobs by 2015
• Generating £1.17bn additional annual GVA by 2015
• Supporting a 25% reduction in additional CO2 emissions generated.
For further information please visit www.erdfnw.co.uk
