Toronto Biennial of Art Features Commissioned Works From Near and Far

Every two years, Toronto welcomes a fresh group of contemporary artists for the ten-week Toronto Biennial, featuring newly commissioned works that are at once accessible and engaging. This year’s event, running through the end of November, showcases artists from across Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the world.

This year’s theme, “Precarious Joys”, reflects on social and ecological imperatives, with artworks inspired by six thematic keywords: “Joy,” “Precarious,” “Home,” “Polyphony,” “Solace,” and “Coded”.

Inspired by these words – themselves inspired by discussions with this year’s artists – the artworks tackle topics such as environmental justice, sovereignty, self-representation, belonging and migration, collective memory, feminist genealogies, and queer worldmaking. Some of the work is clearly designed to be “audience-friendly”, while some of it can be quite provocative. All of it is interesting. (The exhibition is largely child-friendly, and the curators have been very careful to signal – with content warnings, curtains, and otherwise – which works you might want to steer kids away from.)

Curated by Dominique Fontaine and Miguel A. López, the Biennial has been programmed across eleven locations in this, its third year. Dozens of artists are participating, ranging from Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña, whose “precarious” found objects are among our favourites this year, to Toronto’s own Pamila Matharu, whose print works playfully interrogate questions of identity and belonging.

Admission is free, and indeed you’ll likely encounter many of the works as you make your way across the city, from the Art Gallery of Ontario to Union Station to Pearson Airport. The hub for the event, 32 Lisgar St and Park (the former Toronto Media Arts Centre) is a good place to start, with dozens of works on display in various media, including painting, sculpture, and video. There’s even a VR installation!

Once the Biennial wraps up, the organization continues to feature year-round programming, including educational initiatives, public engagement, and other activities. As its mission statement spells out, the Biennial hopes to offer “new ways of seeing and listening”, all year long.

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For everything Toronto Biennial including location information, click here. As always, admission is free.