Words Emmanuel Balogun Pictured (left) The Series: Speeches, 2012, Sylvie Blocher (right) Ultimate Sunstance, 2012: Anja Kirschner and David Panos.
Every two years the Liverpool Biennial, the UK's largest contemporary art festival, reminds us that the northern English city is rapidly becoming a creative hub for forward-thinking art and design.
For the Biennial's seventh edition, entitled The Unexpected Guest, leading and emerging artists have been challenged to examine concepts of hospitality – drawing on topics as diverse as migration, war and globalisation.
ARISE previewed the works on show at the Biennial, which ends on November 25, on a one-day guided tour with cultural communications consultants Bolton & Quinn. Highlights to look out for include The Series: Speeches by video artist Sylvie Blocher, The Unfinished Conversation by leading British-Ghanaian filmmaker John Akomfrah, plus The Source – Doug Aitken's collaborative project with Sky Arts and TATE Liverpool, featuring British-Ghanaian architect David Adjaye and actress Tilda Swinton.
The Biennial will also play host to debates on the increasing role of voyeurism, technology, culture, art, film and science in our lives, with guest lead seminars and discussions by leading cultural thinkers.
Liverpool Biennial: The UK Biennial of Contemporary Art, until 25 November 2012