The theme of the Wuhan Biennale 2024, Urban Fluidity, resonates with the 2022 theme of Communication Through Art, fostering a deeper connection between Wuhan’s cultural fabric and urban temperament. It interprets Wuhan’s hydrological characteristics and contemporary cultural attributes through the concepts of “flow” and “flux”. This embodies the continuity and progression of the Wuhan Biennale in terms of cultural focus and academic distinctiveness. In the dawn of a new epoch, Wuhan, which stands as a beacon of Central China’s ascendancy and a cornerstone within the Yangtze River’s economic and cultural belt, vividly exemplifies a thriving vitality. The urban tapestry of this metropolis unfolds daily, where residential hubs harmonise seamlessly with natural vistas, traditional mores intertwine gracefully with burgeoning cultural enterprises, and the essence of Chinese culture engages in a robust dialogue with global civilisations, collectively manifesting a sprawling and novel urban fluidity. This Biennale aims to elucidate and explore the dynamic significance of “flux” in urban transitions and changes. In essence, the cultural attributes of “flow” and “mobility” are common characteristics of urban transformation and iteration in many international cities, a process still ongoing. Within the trajectory of Chinese modernisation, Wuhan, as a major metropolitan hub, stands out representatively for interpreting the liquidity of culture and the fluidity of the city from an artistic perspective.

This Biennale unfolds its visual narratives through five dimensions: Tracing Cultural Roots, Intersection of Borders, Encounter with Shimmers, Future Coding, and Symbiosis, showcasing the artists’ cultural concerns and artistic expressions concerning the significant characteristics of contemporary societal transformation. Perceptions and experiences derived from various aspects such as urban history, ecological environment, and daily life constitute the Biennale’s holistic atmosphere in resonance with societal rhythms. Though differing in linguistic expressions, the exhibits all carry the vibrancy and complexity of life, imbued with the era’s unique imagery, humour, colours, and textures. Contemporary art transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries and inherent forms through fusion and innovation, enabling artistic language to manifest in diverse expressions with its own fluidity. From the mixing of media to the expansion of materials and from the application of digital technology to the involvement of artificial intelligence, the exhibited works reflect a profound transformation in contemporary artistic concepts and modes of expression. Compared to the previous edition, this Biennale highlights vitality through the convergence of technology and art, particularly demonstrating the synchronised development of Chinese and global art in the profound associations between individuality and sociability, academia and culture.