11th INTERNATIONAL CAIRO BIENNALE

Set up in 1984 as a state-sponsored event for artists from Arab-speaking countries only, the Cairo Biennale opened its doors to foreign contributions in its fifth edition and has had since then a steady inflow of European and American artists. The Biennale helped to launch the careers of many local artists and brought to Cairo works from Gio Pomodoro, Nancy Spero and Claude Viallat among others.
According to many, the Biennale had his ups and downs and might have to work hard if it wants to compete with other exhibitions of the kind and continue to be attractive for international and local artists who find it easier now, through the myriad of local art gallery and the web generated cultural exchange, to bring their works to the public and make a name for themselves. I am not in a position to judge because I am no art critic and have not lived here enough to compare different editions. There is surely a public for the Biennale in Cairo and it is out of doubt that an event of this kind brings lustre to the city. Hopefully this edition will honour the expectations.

The official opening of the Biennale will take place on Saturday, December 20 at 12:00 AM at the Palace of Arts in the Opera House Grounds. the exhibitions will run until Friday February 20, 2009. Some works have already been inaugurated like the "No. 1 Sun Engine" project of the Swiss artists Christina Hemauer and Roman Keller that was officially opened on December 15. Sadly the official website of the Biennale does not provide to date the list of artists nor the venues and program of events (and this is admittedly not very promising). I was provided with information about few projects (American, Swiss and Italian) and I list the links below. For the rest, I suggest you check the Biennale website in a few days, scan the web, or try get information at the Opera Grounds.

http://cairo2008.makcenter.org/
http://www.sun1913.info/
http://www.iiccairo.esteri.it/IIC_IlCairo/webform/SchedaEvento.aspx?id=132 (in Italian)