The Biennial focuses on the idea of presence in its multitude of meanings, conveying how the past continues with us in the present. Structured as a hypertext, the macro project of the Biennial proposes a discontinuous journey through nine locations, each one presenting a multiplicity of narratives and memories.

This structure also promotes the re-signification of the city as a monument. The viewer decides their own itinerary, making links from one space to another, stopping here and there to look at the city-monuments, and endowing their chosen circuit with the power, excitement and soul of the city. This personal journey gives meaning to the macro text: the Biennial and its exhibitions, site-specific projects, performances, film program and lectures.

#1: Cartagena is an issue-oriented project with works spread throughout the historic district.

#1: Cartagena reflects on the cultural traditions of the people, the history and the deep connections to the colonial past, as well as encompassing literature, cinema, music, dance and crafts.

Founded in 1533, Cartagena de Indias is a colonial town located in the center of the northeastern coast of Colombia. Surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena has received a unique and interesting confluence of influences over its 500-year history that include pre-Columbian native Aboriginal, Spanish, African and Arab cultures. It is rich in multicultural folklore, and widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the Caribbean.

The Biennial´s Artistic Director is international curator and writer Berta Sichel. For this project, she worked with three co-curators: Bisi Silva, the Center for Contemporary Art, Lagos; Barbara Krulik, independent curator; and Paul Willemsen, film scholar. She also consulted with critics and other curators in the formation of the Biennial.

#1: Cartagena: international exhibition
Suzanne Anker, Eduardo Abaroa, Helena Almeida, Julieta Aranda, Maria Jose Arjona, Charles Atlas, Radcliffe Bailey, Rosa Barba, Perry Bard, Yto Barrada, Lothar Baumgarten, Terry Berkowitz, Janet Biggs, Anna Boghiguian, Francois Bucher, Trisha Brown, Fernando Bryce, Anna Camner, Peter Campus, Nuria Carrasco, Nick Cave, Willie Cole, Bill Culvert, Elena del Rivero, William Engelen, Nezaket Ekici, Richard Garet, Ximena Garrido-Leca, Justine Graham, Asta Gröting, Federico Guzman, Romuald Hazoume, Diango Hernandez, Kirsten Heshusius, Sheila Hicks, Maria Teresa Hincapie, Candida Höfer, Katie Holten, Shirazeh Houshiary, Satch Hoyt, Marine Hugonnier, Jesper Just, Clemencia Labin, Dana Levy, Ligorano/Reese, Christiane Löhr, Inés Lombardi, Oswaldo Maciá, Lucía Madriz, Marcellvs L., Jenny Marketou, Billy Martin, Julie Mehretu, Zwelethu Methethwa, Marta Minujín, Guillermo Mora, Carlos Motta, Beth Moyses, Maria Nepomuceno, Lorraine O’Grady, Emeka Ogboh, Uche Opka-Iroha, Kristin Oppenheim, Trevor Paglen, Guillermo Paneque, Periferica, João Penalva, Libia Posada, Freya Powell, Khalil Rabah, Jessica Rankin, Luis Fernando Ramirez, Alvaro Restrepo and El Colegio de Cuerpo, Steven Roden,  Lotty Rosenfeld, Ruby Rumié, Eduardo Sarabia, Carlos Schwartz, Teresa Serrano, Hassan Sharif, Yinka Shonibare, Kimsooja, Philip Taaffe, Tallur L.N., Alison Elizabeth Taylor, Mickalene Thomas, Ana Torfs, Adán Vallecillo, Raúl Gómez Valverde, Sergio Vega, Anton Vidokle, Leo Villareal, Bill Viola, Stephen Vitiello, Gijs van Bon, Svetlin Velchev, Friedemann von Stockhausen, Pawl Wojtaski, Ming Wong, Betty Woodman, Yin Xiuzhen, Suda Yoshihiro, Dolores Zinny and Juan Maidagan

Imperfect Idler or When Things Disappear: Colombian artists exhibition
Felipe Arturo, Jaime Avila, Andrés Felipe Castaño, Colectivo Octavo Plastico (Roberto Carlos Pérez, Ana Victoria Padilla, and Emanuel Julio Pinilla), Nicolás Consuegra, Wilson Díaz, Julián Dupont, Juan Manuel Echavarría, Clemencia Echeverri, Adrián Gaitán, Elías Heim, Leonardo Herrera, Juan David Laserna, Verónica Lehner, Diego Mendoza, Ana Maria Millan, Óscar Muñoz, Oscar Murillo, José Olano, Juan Obando, Bernardo Ortiz, Juan Peláez, María Fernanda Plata, Luis Roldan, Miguel Angel Rojas, Maria Isabel Rueda, Wilger Sotelo, Paola Tafur, Pablo Gomez Uribe

Press preview: February 6, 2014
Opening weekend for friends of BIACI: February 7–9, 2014

Gala to benefit the Museum of Modern Art and student grants: February 8, 2014

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