THE 36TH SÃO PAULO BIENNIAL: HUMANITY IN MOTION
Publication date : Décembre 2025
From September 6, 2025, to January 11, 2026, São Paulo hosts the 36th edition of its contemporary art Biennial, the second oldest in the world after Venice. The 30,000 m² Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion, in the heart
of Ibirapuera Park, bring together 125 artists around a powerfully current theme: “Not All Travelers Walk Roads – Of Humanity as Practice”. A biennial to be visited like following a flight of birds:
by letting yourself be guided by the currents—and by humanity.
«HUMANITY IS NOT A STATE, IT IS A VERB»
Conceived by Chief Curator Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung with co-curators Alya Sebti, Anna Roberta Goetz, Thiago de Paula Souza, General Curator Keyna Eleison, and Strategy and Communication Advisor Henriette Gallus, this edition is inspired by a work by the Afro-Brazilian poet Conceição Evaristo (Da calma e do silêncio). “The time of dehumanization we are experiencing today shows that humanity is not a static state, but instead requires a daily commitment. Encouraging listening and human connection, trying to repair what is happening today: this is the ambition of this biennial. And that involves giving hope, energy, and the desire to fight for humanity”, emphasizes Moroccan co-curator Alya Sebti, currently the director of the ifa-Galerie in Berlin.
A CARTOGRAPHY BY
AFFINITY, NOT
BY BORDERS
There are no national pavilions here. The curators designed the biennial like a migratory flight: one follows roads, crosses currents, and lands in areas of confluence that irrigate the three levels of the pavilion. This method avoids classification by nation-states and initiates unprecedented dialogues between works, contexts, and memories. The choices were built with many hands: each curator brings their references and connections. Subsequently, all selections were debated and then approved collectively. Alya Sebti adds that several Moroccan artists were suggested by other curators—a sign that the Moroccan scene naturally fits the themes of this edition: circulation, memory, belonging, and ecology.
A MOROCCAN WORK MARKS THE START OF THE JOURNEY
At the very beginning of their path, visitors walk on a floor-artwork conceived from a pattern by visual artist Malika Agueznay, executed under her supervision with her two daughters, Amina Agueznay, also a visual artist, and Mehdia Agueznay, a graphic designer. They successfully met the challenge of marrying this work with that of the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, globally recognized as one of the greatest masters of modern architecture. “Placing this work at the entrance is fundamental. It is a tribute to Amina Agueznay. This is how the visitor is welcomed at the start of his journey” says Alya Sebti.
EIGHT STRONG & SINGULAR
MOROCCAN VOICES
he Moroccan presence is notable: eight artists are integrated into the routes that traverse this invigorating biennial. From Meriem Bennani, whose futuristic and incisive videos question post-colonial identities, to Amina Agueznay, who weaves natural materials, craftsmanship, and memories. Also featured are the two tutelary figures of the Casablanca Group, Farid Belkahia and Mohamed Melehi, in addition to Malika Agueznay, another major artist of Moroccan modernism steeped in spirituality and symbolism. Not to be forgotten are the raw strength of Chaïbia Talal’s art brut, the contemporary perspective of Laila Hida on local scenes, and the work of Leila Alaoui, who travelled the continent to highlight the world’s forgotten people. A biennial absolutely worth discovering before its closing on January 11, 2026.
An Air Bridge between Morocco & Brazil
his edition of the biennial involves an impressive communication between Casablanca and São Paulo. «The support of Royal Air Maroc has been crucial for this biennial in terms of route advice, assistance… Whether it was transporting artists or their works from Morocco or other African countries, the company made the logistics simple and flexible. We truly worked hand in-hand. Casablanca secured its role as a continental hub, and the opening of São Paulo reinforced an essential transatlantic connection» highlights Alya Sebti.
Flight schedule for the route: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday Casablanca 4:35 PM → São Paulo 10:25 PM; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday São Paulo 12:25 AM → Casablanca 1:20 PM
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