Talks
Axel Wieder
The City as a Platform. The Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art
23 January 2026
By loading the video, you agree to Vimeos's privacy policy.
Learn more
In this talk, Axel Wieder gives an overview of the concept and development of the Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art. The Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art takes place every two years at different locations in Berlin. Since its first edition in 1998, the Berlin Biennale has set itself the task of creating a free space with experimental exhibition and event programs and, together with renowned curators, presenting bold artistic and political positions. Each edition brings together artists, theorists, and interested parties from various sectors of society, thus opening up a dialogue with the city’s residents. Axel Wieder is the director of the Berlin Biennale since 2024. He will discuss its history, considerations for its future development, and the significance of biennials in the current art discourse.
Axel Wieder has been director of the Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art since 2024. Previously, he has been director of Bergen Kunsthall where he produced a widely acclaimed, interdisciplinary program with an international focus and local roots together with his team, which encompassed exhibitions, live projects, and a broad event and outreach program. Before, Wieder was director of Index – The Swedish Contemporary Art Foundation in Stockholm and head of program at Arnolfini in Bristol. He was responsible for the program of Ludlow 38 – Goethe Institute in New York from 2010 to 2011 after being responsible as artistic director of Künstlerhaus Stuttgart from 2007 to 2010. In 1999, he founded Pro qm, a bookstore and discussion platform, together with Katja Reichard and Jesko Fezer in Berlin. He studied art history and cultural studies at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and the University of Cologne. He has held teaching appointments at various universities and art academies, and publishes in magazines and anthologies.
In his work, he focuses on the history and theory of exhibitions, architecture, and social space, as well as issues of political representation. His activities successfully expanded the scope of work of art institutions towards becoming open spaces, in which art can be shown in its connection to adjacent areas of society and with attention to different practices and discourses. Under his leadership, programmes succeeded in attracting new audiences through collaborations and ambitious projects. Joar Nango’s exhibition at Bergen Kunsthall was named the best exhibition of the year in Norway in 2020.