Discove the First Toronto Biennial of Art — Free Toronto Festival

Toronto is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, home to more than 250 ethnicities. And now, the city is hosting an international contemporary visual arts event that celebrates this diversity – the Toronto Biennial of Art. The new event runs through December 1.

A Diverse Lineup

The Biennial features Canadian, Indigenous, and international artists, over 50 percent of whom are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour). “As conversations about truth and reconciliation as well as inclusion and accessibility continue to evolve, the Biennial recognizes the urgency of developing new ways of looking and listening,” write the curators.

Mind-Expanding Events

Throughout the Toronto Biennial of Art, Toronto and surrounding areas are being transformed. The event is filled with exhibitions, talks, and performances that reflect local context while engaging with the 21 ^st century’s most pressing issues. And did we mention that the Toronto Biennial is free? Overall, It’s an incredible, can’t-miss experience. Here are just a few Toronto Biennial highlights.

• Can You Read Us? – Syrus Marcus Ware’s two-part installation at 259 Lake Shore Blvd E and Ryerson Image Centre takes on climate change, race and more.
• The Drowned World – During the Biennial, Toronto’s Cinesphere will become a world within a world. This immersive experience merges film and sound art with scent and changing atmospheric conditions.
• Curtis Tawlst Santiago – This installation brings together forty-eight works from Santiago’s Infinity Series. Housed in reclaimed jewelry boxes that, Santiago assembled these miniature dioramas using found materials to convey an interior world.
• Dana Claxton – Claxton’s LED fireboxes showcase the beauty and resilience of Indigenous women. You’ll see layers of beaded necklaces, embroidered bags, fringed hairpieces, and quilled earrings. The end result implies an identity formed by relations and exchange.

Discover more about the Toronto Biennial of Art at torontobiennial.org.