La Banda dei Bandi: Biennale Gherdëina call for artists
Ingela Ihrman, The Wandering Spruce, 2015. Biennale Gherdëina 9. © Tiberio Sorvillo
Biennale Gherdëina 10, entitled (Future) Paradise Garden, is curated by Samuel Leuenberger and will take place in Ortisei and other locations in Val Gardena, from the 29th of May to the 13th of September, 2026.
The curator and the association Zënza Sëida are launching an Open Call to select the artists who are originally from, residing, or domiciled in the Province of Bolzano. The ones selected through this Open Call will be invited to Biennale Gherdëina 10.
Official dates of Biennale Gherdëina 10: 31.05.2026 - 13.09.2026
Installation days: 05 - 26 May, 2026
Press and preview days: 27 & 28 May, 2026
Opening days: 29 & 30 May, 2026
Objectives
The call aims to support the development of artistic practices in South Tyrol, providing signicant visibility and a unique exhibition space located in the Val Gardena region.
The proposals that best engage with the territory and resonate with the main theme of the tenth Biennale Gherdëina will be selected:
The exhibition is structured into distinct chapters, each examining a different facet of the human-made construct we call the garden. Symbolically, metaphorically, and emotionally, the themes center around notions of “Commoning” — where growing and sharing food, alongside caretaking and preserving traces of all life, are given priority. Another chapter, titled “Divine Love and Growth,” invites contemplation of the garden as a symbol of spiritual ourishing and transcendence.
The exhibition further delves into the concept of the “Violent Garden,” addressing the urgent need to decolonize the garden — challenging anthropocentric views and creating space for animals and nature to move freely and reclaim agency. The chapter on “Queer Ecology” interrogates why nature is often perceived as inherently queer, expanding the conversation on diversity and uidity within ecological systems.
Additionally, we explore the “Botanical”— the ordering and classication of plant specimens — versus “Gardens as Spaces for Reection and Poetry”, where gardens transform into sites of introspection, beauty, and creative imagination”.
We invite all participating artists to engage with one of these topics — whichever resonates most deeply with their practice or research — creating a dynamic dialogue between art, nature, and the evolving concept of the garden.
Submission Guidelines
A minimum of two and a maximum of five artists will be selected by the appointed curator Samuel Leuenberger.
Applicants are requested to submit the following documents (possibly in PDF format):
• Curriculum vitae and ID document;
• A brief description of their practice/interests (max 200 words);
• A portfolio (with website link if available);
• One of the following:
◦ a first draft of the proposal, in line with the curatorial concept for Biennale Gherdëina 10.
Please note that this rst draft does not need to be outlined in detail.
◦ Or a selection of already existing artworks / practices that applicants deem in line with the
curatorial concept for Biennale Gherdëina 10.
Participation is free of charge.
Deadlines
All documentation must be submitted to: opencallBG10@gmail.com by February 28, 2025.
Selected applicants will be notied by March 31, 2025 and will be put in touch with the Curator, either in person or virtually.
Contacts
For any information request, we invite you to contact us at opencallBG10@gmail.com