While it’s sadly true that the vast majority of citywide cultural extravaganza the Biennale of Sydney wraps up this weekend, this does not have to be the end for you, my art-loving friends. You can support creatives doing in tough in the middle of this global shemozzle and immortalise your very own slice of Biennale brilliance at home forevermore.
In a first for the globally renowned event, an online auction has been unveiled, presenting the tantalising opportunity to bid for some of your favourite works from Book Andrew’s showcase Nirin, the Wiradjuri word for ‘edge’. The haul up for grabs includes pieces form First Nations artists like Karla Dickens, Noŋgirrŋa Marawili, Emily Karaka and the Tennant Creek Brio collective.
When lockdown first closed the doors of participating arts venues, the biennale was quick to pivot to digital. And then when Sydney gradually re-opened, the festival negotiated an extension on shows that were scheduled to close in June, with most only ending this week. But rolling with those punches to bring you inspiring art cost a pretty penny – roughly an extra $400,000 whack.
Which is where you come in. The artists putting their work up for sale have generously agreed to donate 30 per cent of all proceed back into the not-for-profit Biennale. Which means 10 per cent of what they raise will go back into bringing you a world-class Biennale of Sydney 2022, when José Roca steps into the curatorial shoes. You can take a look here and see if you fancy bidding before the auction wraps up on September 27 at 5pm. And word to the wise: if you run a small business, it’s worth noting that you can totally write off the cost of an art purchase for your workplace at tax time.
While a fair few bids are already, errrr, a bit out of our price range, there are a handful in the slightly more achievable $500-$1,000 range, including awesome pieces from local hero Dickens.
She was happy to help. “Nirin is an experience of human connection,” she says. “Given the neglect of artists worldwide through such intense times, I see the opportunity to donate artwork to the Biennale auction as my duty; a duty of love to fellow artists, their work and their survival. Together we stand.”
This weekend's you rlast chance to see most of Beinnale IRL. Here's our guide.
