Are artists the last magicians?

Drawing inspiration from the ‘Wunderkammer’, those rooms or cabinets of wonder dedicated to the display of magical objects, the 2016 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art champions the contemporary artist as conjuror. With attendant meanings and manifestations, including contemporary artists’ interests in the talismanic, in cultural rituals and material riddles, this exhibition offers the ‘Wunderkammer’ as a tool with which to both view the world and critique it.

Featured artists include Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, Glenn Barkley, Chris Bond, Pepai Jangala Carroll, Tarryn Gill, Louise Haselton, Juz Kitson, Loongkoonan, Fiona McMonagle, Danie Mellor, Clare Milledge, Tom Moore, Nell, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Bluey Roberts, Kate Rohde, Gareth Sansom, Robyn Stacey, Garry Stewart and Australian Dance Theatre, Jacqui Stockdale, Heather B.Swann, Hiromi Tango, Roy Wiggan, Tiger Yaltangki and Michael Zavros.

Held every two years since 1990, the Biennial is the country’s longest-standing survey of contemporary Australian Art.