Southeast Asian biennales

Abstract

This text aims to give an overview of existing biennials in Southeast Asia. By adopting a national perspective, it describes the genesis, the continuation (or not) and the programmatic character of regional biennials. The text proposes that the idea of perennial exhibition can be traced to the 1970s, when the ASEAN started to promote regional events, in an attempt to create unicity through culture. As this project lost vitality, it was substituted for biennials in Southeast Asia and in the Asia-Pacific region. According to the reasons behind their genesis, some biennials that were established in Southeast Asia follow the biennale model while others follow the model of resistance biennales. This shows variety and regional independence toward the global world.