Introduction
The Ushuaia Biennial, officially known as the "Biennial of the End of the World" (Bienal del Fin del Mundo), was established in 2007 as a contribution to the International Polar Year. Held in Ushuaia, the capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province and the southernmost city in the world, this biennial stands at a unique geographic and conceptual position in the global arts landscape.
Positioned at the very edge of the inhabited world and serving as a gateway to Antarctica, Ushuaia provides a dramatic backdrop for an art exhibition that explores themes of boundaries, extremes, and the intersection of civilization and wilderness. The biennial takes advantage of its remote location to foster dialogue about global environmental issues, particularly focused on polar regions and their vulnerability to climate change.
Through site-specific installations, multimedia exhibitions, and real-time collaborations with other extreme regions of the world, the Ushuaia Biennial challenges artists to respond to this remarkable setting and its environmental and cultural contexts. The exhibition spaces extend beyond traditional galleries to include urban spaces, natural landscapes, and historic sites throughout Ushuaia and its surroundings.
Concept & Themes
The Ushuaia Biennial positions itself at a unique conceptual crossroads, leveraging its extreme geographical location to address pressing contemporary issues. Through its innovative approach, the biennial has established itself as a platform for exploring the complex relationships between art, environment, and global connectivity.
Central to the biennial's concept is the notion of "the end" as both a physical place and a metaphorical concept. This dual meaning allows for explorations of environmental fragility, climate crisis, and the limitations of human expansion. By situating contemporary art at the furthest reaches of the inhabited world, the exhibition creates a powerful context for considering humanity's impact on the planet's most vulnerable ecosystems.
The biennial also emphasizes cross-hemispheric collaboration, particularly focusing on connections between extreme northern and southern territories. Through electronic installations and real-time communications, the exhibition has created dialogues between artists in Ushuaia and those in places like northern Canada and Finnish Lapland, highlighting the shared challenges facing polar regions while transcending traditional geographic boundaries.
Recurring themes throughout the biennial's editions include environmental preservation, indigenous perspectives, territorial identity, global connectivity, and the tension between isolation and interconnection. These themes are expressed through a variety of media, with particular emphasis on site-specific installations that engage directly with Ushuaia's unique urban and natural environments.
Inaugural Edition (2007)
The first Ushuaia Biennial made history as a pioneering art event that artistically connected the extremes of the Earth in real time. Taking place in 2007 as part of the International Polar Year celebrations, this inaugural edition established the biennial's distinctive approach to exploring environmental and territorial themes through contemporary art practices.
A defining feature of the first edition was its innovative use of electronic stations to create global connections between polar regions. These stations, positioned in Ushuaia, northern Canada, and Finnish Lapland, allowed for real-time artistic collaborations and exchanges across hemispheres. Public screens installed throughout participating cities enabled passersby to witness and participate in these multimedia performances, creating a democratic platform for engagement with contemporary art.
The curatorial approach emphasized site-specificity, with many works directly engaging with Ushuaia's urban landscape and the surrounding Tierra del Fuego environment. Artists created installations and interventions that responded to the local context while addressing global environmental concerns, particularly the vulnerable status of polar regions in relation to climate change.
First edition of the Biennial of the End of the World takes place in Ushuaia as part of the International Polar Year
Second edition explores the theme "Intemperie" (weather anomaly/without shelter), focusing on climate and environmental issues
Later editions continue to develop themes of environmental consciousness and cross-hemispheric dialogue
Key Artists & Works
The Ushuaia Biennial has attracted diverse artists whose work engages with the unique geographical, environmental, and cultural contexts of Tierra del Fuego. Many participants create site-specific works that respond directly to the extreme southern setting, while others contribute to the biennial's exploration of global environmental issues and cross-hemispheric dialogues.
Electronic Communication Stations
Real-time multimedia connections between Ushuaia, Northern Canada, and Finnish Lapland, creating dialogue between the polar extremes of the Earth.
Urban Interventions
Series of installations throughout Ushuaia's urban spaces, engaging with the city's identity as the southernmost human settlement.
Antarctic Reflections
Works exploring aesthetic phenomena of climate change and Antarctic environments presented in conjunction with the biennial.
ICEPAC
International Catabatic Experimental Platform for Antarctic Culture, a site-specific installation developed as part of the biennial's expanded programming.
Exhibition Highlights
Experience the unique atmosphere of Ushuaia and the artistic interventions that have transformed this remote city through this video featuring highlights from the Biennial of the End of the World.
Instagram Feed
Connect with Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia's visual culture through social media.
Exhibition Gallery
Venue Locations
The Ushuaia Biennial takes place across multiple venues throughout the city and surrounding areas. Key exhibition sites include the Museo Marítimo y del Presidio (former prison, now Maritime Museum), urban spaces throughout the city, and site-specific installations in natural settings.