Bonus: Biennale of Sydney 2026 – What Worked, What Didn't & Why It Matters
Episode 42
Anastasia Parmson
5/12/20262 min read
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A candid review of the 25th Biennale of Sydney, spanning five venues across Greater Sydney: from a regional gallery that got everything right to an old Power Station full of missed opportunities.
I spent 10 hours at the media preview visiting all five venues: Lewers Penrith Regional Gallery, Chau Chak Wing Museum, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Art Gallery of New South Wales and White Bay Power Station. This isn't a comprehensive report, it’s my personal takeaway on what works (and what fails) when it comes to installation art at an international exhibition.
The 25th Biennale of Sydney, titled Rememory and curated by Hoor Al-Qasimi, demonstrates something that's come up again and again on this podcast: you can have prestigious artists, important topics and historic venues, but if the lighting is wrong, if there's nowhere to sit, if the space outshines the art… it doesn't work.
What I cover:
• Why Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery was the standout venue
• Some highlighted works from each venue
• The 11-minute sound installation no one experiences beyond 15 seconds – and other accessibility challenges
• Documentation vs art – where is the line?
• A moment of comparison: do island Biennales create better experiences?
00:32 Biennale of Sydney Facts
02:57 Penrith Gallery Highlight
05:32 Everyone’s Favorite Installation
08:06 Chau Chak Wing Museum
10:31 Campbelltown Art Centre - Documentary Debate
13:21 Art Gallery of NSW Picks
17:12 White Bay Venue Challenges
22:26 Video Overload Critique
26:32 Installation Missteps
32:48 Final Takeaways
Biennale of Sydney 2026: Rememory is on view until 14 June 2026, free entry
More info: https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/
Review by art critic Christopher Allen: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/culture/worse-than-anticipated-how-the-sydney-biennale-became-a-site-of-mediocrity-and-irrelevance/news-story/efd37fe54c91806748fd89fda76f65f6
Also mentioned in this episode:
Biennale of Sydney: https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/ | https://www.instagram.com/biennalesydney/ | @biennaleofsydney
Venice Biennale episode: https://installationartpodcast.com/bonus-013
Helsinki Biennial episode: https://installationartpodcast.com/bonus-039
Lewers: Pentrith Regional Art Gallery: https://www.penrithregionalgallery.com.au/ | https://www.instagram.com/penrithregionalgallery/
Nora Adwan: https://noraadwan.com/home.html | https://www.instagram.com/adwan.nora/
Chau Chak Wing Museum: https://www.sydney.edu.au/museum/ | https://www.instagram.com/ccwm_sydney/
Michael Dagostino: https://www.sydney.edu.au/museum/about-us/our-people.html
Ema Shin: https://emashin.org/home.html | https://www.instagram.com/ema.shin/
Tuan Andrew Nguyen: https://www.tuanandrewnguyen.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/tuan.andrew.nguyen/
Cambelltown Arts Centre: https://www.campbelltownartscentre.com.au/Home | https://www.instagram.com/campbelltownartscentre/ | @campbelltownartscentre8258
Hoor Al-Qasimi: https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/hoor-al-qasimi/ | https://www.instagram.com/hooralq/
Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige: https://hadjithomasjoreige.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/studiohadjithomasjoreige/
Art Gallery of NSW: https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/
Kuba Dorabialski: https://www.kubadorabialski.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/kubadora/
Mia Wasikowska: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1985859/ | https://www.instagram.com/mia_wasikowska_/
Taysir Batniji: https://www.taysirbatniji.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/taysir_batniji/
Kapwani Kiwanga: https://www.kapwanikiwanga.org/
Ron Mueck: https://ropac.net/artists/63-ron-mueck/ | https://www.instagram.com/ronmueckart/
Mike Hewson: https://mikehewson.co.nz/ | https://www.instagram.com/mikehewson/
MCA: https://www.mca.com.au/ | https://www.instagram.com/mca_australia | @mcaaustralia
White Bay Power Station: https://www.whitebaypowerstation.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/whitebaypowerstation/
Christopher Allen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Allen_(critic)
Cockatoo Island: https://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/harbourtrust/ | @HarbourTrust2088
Frank Sweeney: https://franksweeney.art/ | https://www.instagram.com/frankbeee/
Hui Ye: https://yehui.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/huiyeist/
