Clemencia Echeverri

Curatorial Statement

José Roca: Artistic Director, 23rd Biennale of Sydney

Paschal Daantos Berry
Anna Davis
Hannah Donnelly
Talia Linz

The Curatorium

Rivers, wetlands and other salt and freshwater ecosystems feature in the 23rd Biennale of Sydney (2022), titled rīvus, as dynamic living systems with varying degrees of political agency. Indigenous knowledges have long understood non-human entities as living ancestral beings with a right to life that must be protected. But only recently have animals, plants, mountains and bodies of water been granted legal personhood. If we can recognise them as individual beings, what might they say?

rīvus invites several aqueous beings into a dialogue with artists, architects, designers, scientists, and communities, entangling multiple voices and other modes of communication to ask unlikely questions: Can a river sue us over psychoactive sewage? Will oysters grow teeth in aquatic revenge? What do the eels think? Are the swamp oracles speaking in tongues? Do algae reminisce about the days of primordial soup? Are waves the ocean’s desire?

Participants in the 23rd Biennale of Sydney

A4C Arts for the Commons (Ecuador / Italy)
Ackroyd & Harvey (England)
Robert Andrew (Yawuru, Australia)
Ana Barboza and Rafael Freyre (Peru)
Badger Bates (Barkandji, Australia)
Milton Becerra (Venezuela / France)
Cave Urban (Australia)
Hera Büyüktaşcıyan (Turkey)
Tania Candiani (Mexico)
Yoan Capote (Cuba)
Casino Wake Up Time (Bundjalung, Kamillaroi, Australia)
Carolina Caycedo (Colombia / USA)
Alex Cerveny (Brazil)
Erin Coates (Australia)
Cian Dayrit (Philippines)
Melissa Dubbin & Aaron S. Davidson (USA)
Matias Duville (Argentina)
Clemencia Echeverri (Colombia)
Embassy of the North Sea (North Sea / The Netherlands)
Juliana Góngora Rojas (Colombia)
Julie Gough (Trawlwoolway, Australia)
Senior Craftsman Rex Greeno and son Dean Greeno (Palawa, Australia)
David Haines & Joyce Hinterding (Australia / England)
Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe (Yanomami, Venezuela)
Dale Harding (Bidjara / Ghungalu / Garingbal, Australia)
Joey Holder (England)
Marguerite Humeau (France)
Aluaiy Kaumakan (Paiwan Nation, Paridrayan Community, Taiwan)
Pushpa Kumari (India)
Eva L'Hoest (Belgium)
Mata Aho Collective (Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungungu ki Wairarapa, Aotearoa / New Zealand)
Clare Milledge (Australia)
Yuko Mohri (Japan)
Moogahlin Performing Arts with Aanmitaagzi Big Medicine Studio (Murrawarri, Biripi, Australia;Ojibway / Mohawk, Mi'kmaq, Turtle Island Canada)
New Landscapes Institute (Australia)
New-Territories S/he f.Roche (France)
Leeroy New (Philippines)
Wura-Natasha Ogunji (Nigeria / USA)
Mike Parr (Australia)
Marjetica Potrč (Slovenia)
Caio Reisewitz (Brazil)
Tabita Rezaire (France / French Guiana)
Duke Riley (USA)
Abel Rodríguez (Mogaje Guihu) (Nonuya, Colombia)
Teho Ropeyarn (Angkamuthi / Yadhaykana, Australia)
Diana Scherer (Germany / The Netherlands)
Dineo Seshee Bopape (South Africa)
Komunidad X Sipat Lawin (Philippines)
Kiki Smith (USA)
Paula de Solminihac (Chile)
STARTTS (NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors)
Jiva Parthipan (Australia)
Jenna Sutela (Finland / Germany)
Imhathai Suwatthanasilp (Thailand)
Leanne Tobin (Dharug, Australia)
Barthélémy Toguo (Cameroon / France)
Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi (Tonga / Aotearoa New Zealand)
Hanna Tuulikki (England / Scotland / Finland)
Gal Weinstein (Israel)
Zheng Bo (Bai, China)

Additional news articles: 

Concrete Playground - The Biennale of Sydney 2022 Has Announced the First 59 Participants for Its Water-Themed Program

Ocula - Biennale of Sydney Asks, What if Rivers Could Talk?