17th Biennale of Sydney

12 May - 1 August 2010

The 17th Biennale of Sydney directed by David Elliott and titled THE BEAUTY OF DISTANCE: Songs of Survival in a Precarious Age will showcase new and recent works by Australian and international artists at Sydney's leading cultural institutions, contemporary art spaces and heritage sites.

In a country that has traditionally regarded distance as a disadvantage, this Biennale will celebrate distance by bringing together art from around the world. This presentation of primordial, timeless and challenging works will express the unique power of art as well as its creative richness. Program highlights include artist talks, performances, forums, film screenings, family events, guided tours and other special events, all FREE to the public.

Cockatoo Island returns as a major exhibition venue in 2010, building on the success of its inaugural use for the 16th Biennale of Sydney (2008). The venue will feature works by approximately 50 artists spread throughout the island's cavernous structures and open spaces, including many new site-specific works created directly in response to the location.

David Elliott says: "Cockatoo Island is historically significant as both a prison and an industrial powerhouse; it offers a variety and vastness of space, which is a fantastic challenge and privilege for artists. It is one of the unique environments of Sydney and we will be filling it with art."

Photograph: Cai Guo-Qiang, Inopportune: Stage One, 2004, nine cars and sequenced multichannel light tubes, dimensions variable. Collection of Seattle Art Museum. Courtesy Cai Studio. Photograph: Kazuo Ono

A free ferry service for Biennale visitors will be available from Commissioner Steps, Circular Quay to Cockatoo Island throughout the exhibition period, thanks to the generous support of the Balnaves Foundation and Etihad Airways.

Event Details

Where	Cockatoo Island
When	12 May - 1 August 2010
Hours	10am - 5pm daily
How	Free ferry service from Commissioners Steps, Circular Quay. Please visit the Biennale of Sydney website for further information on the free ferry service
Access Information	During the Biennale of Sydney, a number of buildings which are not usually open to the public are used for installations, but a number of these are not accessibly by wheelchair. More information about accessibility
Further information	www.bos17.com