Shifting gravity

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The rise of biennials globally, particularly in Asia, marks a shift from traditional contemporary art centers and signifies a new cultural phenomenon that reshapes our understanding of artistic creation, institutions, localities, and social relations. Biennials serve as platforms for showcasing contemporary art to both art professionals and the general public. The inaugural World Biennial Forum, organized by the Biennial Foundation and hosted by the Gwangju Biennale Foundation in South Korea, explored these emerging centers and diverse practices in large-scale art exhibitions. This publication compiles presentations and discussions from the forum, featuring keynotes by prominent intellectuals addressing themes of democracy, aesthetic representation, and cosmopolitanism, positioning biennials as spaces for political imagination. Case studies focusing on Asia highlight innovative and contextually relevant presentation models in the Asia Pacific region. Contributions reflect on the history of biennials and examine contemporary art's intersections with other disciplines. Featured biennials include the Anyang Public Art Project, Biennale of Sydney, Chobi Mela, Emergency Biennale, Istanbul Biennial, Mediacity Seoul, Shanghai Biennale, Taipei Biennial, Tbilisi Triennial, and Yokohama Triennial.