Introduction

The Herzliya Biennial is a contemporary art event that takes place in the coastal city of Herzliya, Israel. Initiated in 2007 by the Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art, the biennial transforms the urban landscape through site-specific installations, performances, and exhibitions that engage with the city's social, cultural, and architectural fabric.

Distinguished by its emphasis on public engagement and urban intervention, the Herzliya Biennial creates encounters between contemporary art and diverse audiences beyond traditional gallery spaces. The biennial serves as a platform for dialogue around social and political issues relevant to Israeli society while fostering cultural exchange between Israeli and international artists.

Narrative & Themes

The Herzliya Biennial consistently explores themes related to urban life, public space, cultural identity, and the political realities of Israel. Each edition is organized around a central concept that reflects current social and artistic concerns, creating a framework for diverse artistic expressions and critical perspectives.

The 2025 edition, titled "Thresholds: Between Public and Private," examines the changing boundaries between public and private spaces in contemporary urban life. Through installations, performances, and participatory projects, artists will investigate how these boundaries are negotiated, contested, and reimagined in response to technological, social, and political changes.

Throughout its history, the biennial has maintained a strong commitment to site-specificity, with artists creating works that respond directly to Herzliya's unique context—its Mediterranean coastline, modern architecture, diverse neighborhoods, and complex social dynamics. This emphasis on local context creates a distinctive experience that differentiates the Herzliya Biennial from other international art events.

History & Context

The Herzliya Biennial was established in 2007 as part of a broader initiative to bring contemporary art into public discourse in Israel. Founded by the Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art, the biennial emerged during a period of significant urban development in Herzliya, a coastal city just north of Tel Aviv known for its high-tech industry, upscale residences, and beaches.

Since its inception, the biennial has evolved to encompass a wider range of artistic practices and venues, while maintaining its focus on the relationship between art, architecture, and public space. Over the years, it has contributed significantly to positioning Herzliya as a cultural center within Israel's contemporary art scene.

Featured Projects

The Herzliya Biennial showcases a diverse range of artistic projects that transform the urban landscape and engage with the city's communities. Each edition presents site-specific installations, performances, participatory initiatives, and public interventions that create new experiences of familiar spaces.

Urban Light Mapping

A large-scale projection mapping project that transforms building facades in Herzliya's city center with interactive light installations responding to pedestrian movement.

Collective Gardens

A series of temporary garden installations created in collaboration with local communities, exploring sustainable urban ecology and shared stewardship of public space.

Urban Soundscapes

A sound art project incorporating field recordings, oral histories, and musical compositions into an immersive audio walk through Herzliya's diverse neighborhoods.

Urban Context

The Herzliya Biennial utilizes diverse spaces throughout the city, from established cultural institutions to unexpected urban locations. This distributed approach encourages exploration of different neighborhoods and creates new perspectives on familiar environments.

Key areas include Herzliya's city center, the waterfront promenade, public parks, commercial districts, and residential areas. The biennial transforms these everyday spaces through artistic interventions that highlight their architectural, historical, and social significance. Many projects also engage with the city's natural environment, particularly its Mediterranean coastline and green spaces.

The biennial provides maps and guided tours to help visitors navigate between venues, creating thematic routes that reveal connections between different projects and locations. This approach to urban curation creates a cohesive experience while showcasing the diversity of Herzliya's urban landscape.