Biennales in Asia

Asia’s biennales grew mostly after 1990, and many were founded with a public argument attached. The Gwangju Biennale opened in 1995 on the 15th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising. The Shanghai Biennale, founded in 1996, was mainland China’s first international biennale of contemporary art. Japan favors the triennial and the countryside: the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale and the Setouchi Triennale use art to bring visitors to depopulating villages and islands, while the Yokohama Triennale and the Aichi Triennale work at city scale. South Asia’s field is younger, with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (2012), the Dhaka Art Summit (2012), and the Lahore Biennale (2018).

Two Korean editions are open as of October 1, 2026: the 16th Gwangju Biennale, You Must Change Your Life, directed by Ho Tzu Nyen, runs to November 15, and the 13th Busan Biennale, Dissident Chorus, runs to November 1. The 5th Bangkok Art Biennale, Angels and Mara, opens October 29 across 10 venues and runs to February 28, 2027. The Singapore Biennale closed its 2025 edition, pure intention, in March 2026 and has not announced the next.

In 2027 the 4th Lahore Biennale runs March 27 to April 25, and the 9th Yokohama Triennale April 23 to September 12. The Seoul Mediacity Biennale is tentatively set for August 16 to November 14. Cecilia Alemani curates the 15th Taipei Biennial, Shanghai’s 16th edition is due in November, and Echigo-Tsumari returns for its 10th edition. Kader Attia’s 7th Kochi-Muziris Biennale is planned for 2027 to 2028, and the 5th Thailand Biennale opens in Rayong in December 2027.