Contemporary art festival opens in Samara

Artworks exploring methods of communication in, and between, east and west have gone on show at the Shiryaevo Biennale of Contemporary Art, the largest event of its kind in the Samara region in south-eastern Russia.

This year’s theme, Screen, will look at communication techniques, such as advertising, in an era of globalisation. Unlike other contemporary art festivals, artists are invited to participate in a two-week experimental art laboratory in the village of Shiryaevo while being immersed in the local environment. During their stay, artists are hosted by residents and encouraged to interact with locals.

The biennale’s main event is The Nomadic Show, travelling exhibition that takes art beyond the walls of the gallery. For one day, artists will present their work in a number of locations along a route that takes in both the urban and natural landscape ranging from a village house to a cave in the mountains.

Artists from around the world (Austria, Armenia, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Sweden, UK) will be attending the festival, which will run until 9 September. The biennale has examined various aspects of the relationship between east and west each year since its launch in 1999. Themes in previous years have included Strangers, America, Home, Love and Food.