The Stomach and the Port

Liverpool Biennial today unveils nine exhibitions, bringing together the complete presentation of the 11th edition, The Stomach and the Port. This final chapter complements the outdoor sculptures, installations, sonic and digital commissions, and digital events on the Biennial Online Portal, which launched in March. Now, in line with government guidance, the Biennial has opened the doors to Liverpool, welcoming visitors to safely enjoy the UK’s largest free festival of contemporary art.

The Stomach and the Port is curated by Manuela Moscoso and will showcase the work of 50 leading and emerging artists and collectives from 30 countries around the world, including 47 new commissions.

The participating artists include: Larry Achiampong, Black Obsidian Sound System, Erick Beltrán, Diego Bianchi, Alice Channer, Judy Chicago, Ithell Colquhuoun, Christopher Cozier, Yael Davids, Ines Doujak & John Barker, Dr. Lakra, Jadé Fadojutimi, Jes Fan, Lamin Fofana, Ebony G. Patterson, Sonia Gomes, Ane Graff, Ayesha Hameed, Camille Henrot, Nicholas Hlobo, Laura Huertas Millán, Sohrab Hura, Invernomuto & Jim C. Nedd, Rashid Johnson, KeKeÇa, Jutta Koether, SERAFINE1369, Ligia Lewis, Linder, Luo Jr – shin, Jorgge Menna Barreto, Haroon Mirza, Neo Muyanga, Pedro Neves Marques, Roland Persson, Anu Põder, Reto Pulfer, André Romão, Kathleen Ryan, Zineb Sedira, Xaviera Simmons, Teresa Solar, Daniel Steegmann Mangrané, Jenna Sutela, Martine Syms, UBERMORGEN, Leonardo Impett and Joasia Krysa, Luisa Ungar, Alberta Whittle, Zheng Bo, David Zink Yi.

Exploring concepts of the body, the Biennial draws on non-Western thinking that challenges our understanding of the individual as a defined, self-sufficient entity. Instead, the body is seen as fluid, being continuously shaped by, and actively shaping, its environment. The central point of these enquiries is Liverpool: a city which was an active agent in the process of modernisation and change but also played a role in the foundation of colonialism. Through the visible and invisible dynamics of Liverpool’s historic port, this Biennial envisions different forms of being human and explores what bodies have the potential to be.

The Biennial Online Portal underpins the physical festival, providing a platform for the dynamic digital programme Processes of Fermentation. This combines an inspiring lineup of live performances, artist interviews, curatorial videos, artist-led discussions and workshops, a film programme and podcasts. In addition, a vibrant selection of online and physical resources for children and young people brings the Biennial into the home, the classroom and the community.

The artists’ practices are gathered under three entry points—Stomach, Porosity and Kinship—to present different ways of thinking about and linking the artworks across the Biennial. The stomach is the bodily organ through which we digest the world; porosity is the ability of the skin to absorb or allow things to pass through; and kinship revisits the bonds and relationships which connect us.

Presented across the city, in historic locations, the Biennial has taken over the Lewis’s Building, Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Building, the Lush Building, Liverpool Central Library and Cotton Exchange to install site specific exhibitions, while new exhibitions have been created with the city’s leading art venues, Tate Liverpool, FACT, Bluecoat and Open Eye Gallery.

To celebrate Liverpool’s iconic architecture and public spaces, the Biennial’s outdoor sculptures and installations connect bodies and experiences to key places, past and present, speaking of the movement of humans across the sea and proposing new understandings of the relationships between the body and nature.

Dr. Samantha Lackey, Director, Liverpool Biennial, said: “This Biennial’s creative vision, developed by Manuela Moscoso and our artists, has produced a vital and thought-provoking edition, addressing some of the big questions of our times and overcoming significant challenges which the pandemic has presented along the way.” 

Manuela Moscoso, curator of Liverpool Biennial 2021, said: “The Stomach and the Port reflects on systems of exchange, how borders are not only geographic but also political and subjective constructs. Rooted in decolonising our experience of the world, the artists collaboratively present a re-calibration of the senses and a catalyst for change.”