2008-2014: Biennale of Sydney at Cockatoo Island

World Heritage–listed Cockatoo Island is Sydney Harbour's largest island. A former convict prison and industrial shipyard, Cockatoo Island has been a Biennale venue since 2008.

By Biennale of Sydney

Biennale of Sydney

Inopportune: Stage One Installation ImageBiennale of Sydney

INDUSTRIAL PRECINCT

#17BOS (2010): Cai Guo-Qiang, Inopportune: Stage One (2004).
Photograph: Ben Symons

Untitled (sails) (2008) by Jannis KounellisBiennale of Sydney

#16BOS (2008): Jannis Kounellis, Untitled (sails) (2008).
Photograph: Jenni Carter

Untitled (2013) by Matt HinkleyBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2014): Matt Hinkley, Untitled (2013). Photograph: Tai Spruyt

Crux (as seen from those who sleep on the surface of the earth under the night sky) (2008) by Brian JungenBiennale of Sydney

#16BOS (2008): Brian Jungen, Crux (as seen from those who sleep on the surface of the earth under the night sky), 2008.
Photograph Jenni Carter

Parade (2014) by Mel O'CallaghanBiennale of Sydney

#19BOS (2014): Mel O’Callaghan, Parade, 2014. Photograph: Ben Symons

Gravitas Lite (2012) by Peter RobinsonBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Peter Robinson, Gravitas Lite, 2012.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Spectra VI (2014) by Ross ManningBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2014): Ross Manning, Spectra VI, 2014.
Photograph: Ben Symons

The Village The Village (2014) by Randi & KatrineBiennale of Sydney

#19BOS (2014): Randi & Katrine, The Village, 2014.
Photograph: Tai Spruyt

Source (2012) by Ed Pien with Tanya TagaqBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Ed Pien with Tanya Tagaq, Source, 2012 (detail).
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete,

#18BOS (2012): Ed Pien with Tanya Tagaq, Source, 2012.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Series: 'He with Glands of Wasp', 'He of 109 names and one tusk' and 'Janicot Vader' (2009) by Rohan WealleansBiennale of Sydney

#17BOS (2010): Rohan Wealleans, Installation view of series: 'He with Glands of Wasp', 'He of 109 names and one tusk' and 'Janicot Vader' (2009). Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

The tables have turned A shadow play (2008) by Nalini MalaniBiennale of Sydney

#16BOS (2008): Nalini Malani, The tables have turned a shadow play, 2008.
Photograph: Jenni Carter

The River (2012) by Monika Grzymala, with the Euraba Artists and PapermakersBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012) Monika Grzymala and Euraba Artists and Papermakers, The River, 2012. Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

What Will Come (Has Already Come) (2007) by William KentridgeBiennale of Sydney

#16BOS (2008): William Kentridge, What Will Come (Has Already Come), 2007.
Photograph: Jenni Carter

#16BOS (2008): William Kentridge, What Will Come (Has Already Come), 2007.
Photograph: Jenni Carter

What Is An Aborigine (2008) by Vernon Ah KeeBiennale of Sydney

#16BOS (2008): Vernon Ah Kee, What Is An Aborigine, 2008.
Photograph: Jenni Carter

My Hubble (2010) by Peter HennesseyBiennale of Sydney

#17BOS (2010): Peter Hennessey, My Hubble (The universe turned in on itself), 2010.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Ghost Rider (2008) by Shaun GladwellBiennale of Sydney

#16BOS (2008): Shaun Gladwell, STREET HAUNTING/GHOST RIDING/ORGAN, 2008. Photograph: Jenni Carter

#16BOS (2008): Shaun Gladwell, STREET HAUNTING/GHOST RIDING/ORGAN, 2008.
Photograph: Jenni Carter

Theatre of Speaking Objects (2012) by Eva KoťátkováBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Eva Koťátková, Theatre of Speaking Objects, 2012.
Photograph: Prudence Upton/Destination NSW

Hylozoic Series: Sibyl (2012) by Philip BeesleyBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Philip Beesley, Hylozoic Series: Sibyl, 2012.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Domesticated Turf (2012) by Cal LaneBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Cal Lane, Domesticated Turf, 2012.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Kasbah (2010) by Kader AttiaBiennale of Sydney

#17BOS (2010): Kader Attia, Kasbah, 2010. Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Jumping Castle War Memorial (2010) by Brook AndrewBiennale of Sydney

EASTERN APRON AND DOG-LEG TUNNEL

#17BOS (2010): Brook Andrew, Jumping Castle War Memorial, 2010.
Photograph: Ben Symons

A Cock or Two (2010) by Jonathan BarnbrookBiennale of Sydney

#17BOS (2010): Jonathan Barnbrook, A Cock or Two: They Continue to Preen, 2010.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Living Chasm - Cockatoo Island (2012) by Fujiko NakayaBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Fujiko Nakaya, Living Chasm – Cockatoo Island, 2012.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Ruins (2014) by Joseph GriffithsBiennale of Sydney

#19BOS (2014): Joseph Griffiths, Ruins, 2014.
Photograph: Ben Symons

Ruins Video - Joseph Griffiths, Ruins (2014) by Joseph GriffithsBiennale of Sydney

2014 Artist Interview Series: Joseph Griffiths
Videographer: Emma Sullivan

YOU CREATE WHAT YOU WILL YOU CREATE WHAT YOU WILL (2014) by Nathan ColeyBiennale of Sydney

#19BOS (2014): Nathan Coley, YOU CREATE WHAT YOU WILL, 2014.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

The Other Side The Other Side (2014) by Callum MortonBiennale of Sydney

#19BOS (2014): Callum Morton, The Other Side, 2014.
Photograph: James Horan/Destination NSW

spend the rest of your life mining this death and it will only bring you despair (2012) by Jon PylypchukBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Jon Pylypchuk, spend the rest of your life mining this death and it will only bring you despair, 2012.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

They Shimmer Still (2012) by Imran QureshiBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Imran Qureshi, They Shimmer Still, 2012.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Street, Play, Way Installation ImageBiennale of Sydney

DOCKS PRECINCT AND POWERHOUSE AREA, COCKATOO ISLAND

#19BOS (2014): Ulla von Brandenburg, Street, Play, Way, 2014.
Photograph: Tai Spruyt

The Feast of Trimalchio (2009) by AES+FBiennale of Sydney

#17BOS (2010): AES+F, The Feast of Trimalchio, 2009.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

The Hollows (2014) by Mikala DwyerBiennale of Sydney

#19BOS (2014): Mikala Dwyer, The Hollows, 2014.
Photograph: Tai Spruyt

Faraday Cage (2010) by Hiroshi SugimotoBiennale of Sydney

#17BOS (2010): Hiroshi Sugimoto, Faraday Cage, 2010.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Knock On The Sky Listen To The Sound (2011) by Tiffany SinghBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Tiffany Singh, Knock On The Sky Listen To The Sound, 2011.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

untitled (barra) (2012) by Jonathan JonesBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Jonathan Jones, untitled (barra), 2012.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

This Is Before We Disappear From View (2014) by Sonia Leber and David ChesworthBiennale of Sydney

#19BOS (2014): Sonia Leber and David Chesworth, This Is Before We Disappear From View, 2014.
Photograph: Sonia Leber and David Chesworth

gradually_real (2014) by Christine StreuliBiennale of Sydney

UPPER ISLAND, COCKATOO ISLAND

#19BOS (2014): Christine Streuli, gradually_real, 2014.
Photograph: Ben Symons

Swarm (ASX) (2012) by Alec FinlayBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Alec Finlay, Swarm (ASX), 2012.
Photograph courtesy the artist

TEN THOUSAND WAVES (2010) by Isaac JulienBiennale of Sydney

#17BOS (2010): Isaac Julien, Ten Thousand Waves, 2010.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Molecular (SYDNEY) (2002 - 2010) by Serge SpitzerBiennale of Sydney

#17BOS (2010): Serge Spitzer, Molecular (SYDNEY), 2002-2010.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Zilla's House Zilla's House (2014) by Zilla LeuteneggerBiennale of Sydney

#19BOS (2014): Zilla Leutenegger, Zilla’s House, 2014 (detail).
Photograph: Tai Spruyt

Ocean of Flowers (2012) by Hongbo LIBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Li Hongbo, Ocean of Flowers, 2012.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Islands of incarceration (2010) by Kate McMillanBiennale of Sydney

#17BOS (2010): Kate McMillan, Islands of incarceration, 2010.
Photograph: Ben Symons

QUIPU AUSTRAL (2012) by Cecilia VicuñaBiennale of Sydney

#18BOS (2012): Cecilia Vicuña, QUIPU AUSTRAL, 2012.
Photograph: Prudence Upton/Destination NSW

Inferno Inferno (2013) by Yael BartanaBiennale of Sydney

#19BOS (2014): Yael Bartana, Inferno, 2013 (production still).
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Maison Maison (2012) by Augustin Rebetez and Noé CauderayBiennale of Sydney

#19BOS (2014): Augustin Rebetez and Noé Cauderay, Maison, 2012.
Photograph: Sebastian Kriete

Credits: Story

CREDITS: EXHIBIT

19th Biennale of Sydney: You Imagine What You Desire (21 March – 9 June 2014)
Artistic Director: Juliana Engberg

18th Biennale of Sydney: all our relations (27 June – 16 September 2012).
Artistic Directors: Catherine de Zegher and Gerald McMaster

17th Biennale of Sydney: THE BEAUTY OF DISTANCE – Songs of Survival in a Precarious Age (2 May – 1 August 2010).
Artistic Director: David Elliott

16th Biennale of Sydney: Revolutions – Forms That Turn (8 June – 7 September 2008).
Artistic Director:Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev

Venues
Cockatoo Island, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Artspace, Carriageworks, Cockatoo Island and Museum of Contemporary Art Australia

CREDITS: ALL MEDIA
The exhibit featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institution, listed above, who have supplied the content.

Credits: All media

The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

Biennale of Sydney

Biennale of Sydney

Interested in Sport?

Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly

No, thanks

You are all set!

Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.