For what it’s worth the biannuals?

Abstract

Considering the crisis at biennial model, which has been converted into events restricted to vacation time, this article discusses the possibility of a transformation or a change of its model. From a real experience on organizing the XXXI Biennial of Pontevedra (Spain), entitled Útropicos, which discussed the cultural scope of Central America and Caribbean, the author of the text - Santiago Olmo (curator of the biennial) points possible solutions. The importance of connecting the biennial with education and formation, stressing both information and investigation aspects is one of the quite essential elements of the discussion. The connection with the context, the activation of collaborative networks and the consciousness of the existence of audiences, and not only one single type of audience, help us to understand the challenges that these kinds of big events face. The renovation of the biennial model involves a reniewing of the current art in society. One of the mechanisms pointed by Pontevedra is using the exhibition format to start a dialogue between them. Therefore the marginalization of the collateral effects could be avoided while the utility and public service offered by biennials as a mechanism to understand the complexity of the current world is demanded.