The Florence International Art Biennale, one of Europe’s four major contemporary art biennales, has been held biennially since its founding in 1997 by the Cello brothers, encompassing nine art categories including painting, sculpture, and installation. Renowned globally for its numerous participating countries, high-quality works, and rigorous judging standards, it is a prestigious biennale brand. The biennale receives strong support from major institutions such as the European Parliament, UNESCO (Italian Committee), the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Tuscany Region, and the Florence City Government, becoming a highly anticipated platform in the international art world. In this city hailed as the “cradle of the Renaissance,” artists from around the globe engage in dialogue through their works, exploring cutting-edge topics in contemporary art.
In 2013, Chinese contemporary artists were invited as a group to participate for the first time in the 9th Florence Biennale, themed “Ethics as the DNA of Art.” Through the joint organization and selection of curators Wu Hongbin and Zhang Siyong, 12 contemporary Chinese artists were successfully invited to participate in the Florence Biennale. This marked the first time in the history of the Biennale that Chinese curators were formally invited to participate in the curating of a thematic exhibition, signifying the beginning of the involvement of Chinese contemporary art in this international art biennale and enriching and expanding its international influence and diverse composition. In the subsequent 10th, 11th to 14th Biennales, multiple Chinese contemporary artists were invited to participate and repeatedly won important awards in various art categories. Twelve years later, in October 2025, twelve Chinese contemporary artists were once again invited to participate in the 15th Florence Biennale. The exhibition was meticulously organized and curated by the team of Zhang Siyong, winner of the Florence Biennale International Committee – Biennale Curator Ambassador Award, and featured artists including Chao Ge (invited), Zhong Biao, Lei Ziren, Qing Taimao, Jiang Miao, Li Kaishu, Ye Yuxuan, Cao Xiling, Huang Shan, Han Yunze, Wang Kuanmeng, and Yang Zifan, forming the Chinese section. The theme of this year’s Florence Biennale focuses on the primordial and eternal union of light and darkness, a concept that has been central to art, science, philosophy, and literature since ancient times. Light is not merely an object of study in physics; it is the foundation of life, connecting the macrocosm and the microcosm, guiding us to contemplate the relationship between humanity’s finite and fragile world and the infinite universe. Based on the gradual and sustained participation of Chinese artists in the Florence Biennale, a significant force of contemporary Chinese art has emerged within the Biennale’s international community.
Particularly noteworthy are the awards presented to Chao Ge—the “Lorenzo the Great – Lifetime Achievement Award”—as well as the numerous other works by participating artists, including Zhong Biao (who won the President’s Prize and a Bronze Medal in the Painting category), Jiang Miao (who won the Gold Medal in the Mixed Media category), and Ye Yuxuan (who received the Jury Prize). These works, along with those of other participating artists, have garnered high praise from the audience and fellow international artists. This exhibition also powerfully demonstrates the artistic power of the language and concepts of the Chinese artists’ works in the Florence Biennale, which is based on a rigorous judging mechanism. Within the overall atmosphere of the Biennale, the works in the Chinese section garnered significant attention and discussion from a large art audience. Therefore, it is not difficult to see that, in the changing global art landscape, the overall strength and artistic vision of contemporary Chinese artists at this Biennale have become a highlight, once again attracting widespread attention. In the diverse context of the international art scene, this has effectively realized many pre-exhibition conjectures and ultimately translated into this remarkable achievement and extraordinary influence.
Exhibition Information
The 15th Florence International Biennale of Contemporary Art and Design
The Sublime Essence of Light and Darkness
【China Section】
Exhibition Dates: October 18-26, 2025
Curator: Zhang Siyong
Exhibition Director: Zhang Chengsen
Exhibition Coordinator: Tao Tao, Li Qingxia
Exhibition Execution: Zhang Yun, Zhang Zhibei
Exhibition Organizer: Beijing Millennium Time Gallery
Artists
Chao Ge (Invited)
Zhong Biao
Jiang Miao
Ye Yuxuan
Li Kaishu (Surayeva Natallia)
Yang Zifan
Cao Xileng
Huang Shan
Han Yunze
Wang Kuanmeng
Qing Taimao
Lei Ziren
Exhibition Venue:
FORTEZZA DA BASSOFIRENZE
Florence, Italy, Castle da Basso
The 15th Florence International Biennale of Contemporary Art and Design has grandly opened, with Chinese artists shining in Italy. A feast of art and dialogue unfolds at the Château d’Abasso in Florence, with nearly 600 artists from more than 80 countries gathering at this international art event.
Award Ceremony
On October 18, 2025, the 15th Florence International Contemporary Art and Design Biennale officially opened at the Château d’Assasso in Florence, Italy. This highly anticipated global art event, themed “The Sublime Essence of Light and Darkness,” will run until October 26. Chinese artists achieved significant success at this Biennale.
Chao Ge, Professor and Oil Painter at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, was awarded the “Lorenzo the Great Lifetime Achievement Award” by the 15th Florence Biennale.
Award ceremony
Award ceremony
Award ceremony
The Chinese exhibitors witnessed the awards ceremony together.
Zhong Biao, a professor at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute and a contemporary artist, won the President’s Prize and the Bronze Prize in the Painting category at the 15th Florence Biennale for two different works.
Award ceremony
Zhong Biao’s Medal and Certificate
Award ceremony
Zhong Biao Medal
Contemporary artist Jiang Miao won the Gold Medal in the Mixed Media category at the 15th Florence Biennale.
颁奖现场
姜淼奖牌证书
中国台湾艺术家叶宇轩作品荣获第15届佛罗伦萨双年展评委会奖。
颁奖现场
叶宇轩奖牌证书
中国单元参展团队与双年展主席及执行主席在获奖现场
2025第15届佛罗伦萨双年展的主题聚焦于光明与⿊暗这⼀原始⽽永恒的结合，⾃古以来，这⼀对概念便处于艺术、科学、哲学和⽂学研究的核⼼。光这⼀现象不仅仅是物理学的研究对象，它更是⽣命的基础，连接着宏观宇宙与微观世界，引导我们思考⼈类有限⽽脆弱的世界与⽆限宇宙之间的关联。从赫拉克利特、毕达哥拉斯和亚⾥⼠多德，到达·芬奇、伽利略，再到⽜顿、⻨克斯⻙和爱因斯坦，历史上最杰出的思想家们都曾深⼊探讨光的奥秘。远古⽂明的建筑遗迹，如巨⽯阵、玛雅神庙和吉萨⾦字塔，早已显示出⼈类对太阳光的关注和崇敬。⽽在随后的各个⽂明和历史时期，光始终是艺术家、建筑师、科学家和⽂学家探讨的核⼼主题。
光明与⿊暗的崇⾼本质”（The Sublime Essence of Light and Darkness）主题旨在强调艺术、建筑和设计如何唤起⼈类对⾃然之⽆限性和不可抗拒之⼒的感知。在⾃然界中，对⽴⾯往往和谐交融，⽽在⼈类社会中，我们却常常看到剧烈的对抗，例如战争，使我们迷失了对⾃身存在意义的认知。
因此，本次双年展的主题希望引导观众思考：那些看似对⽴的事物，实则同属于⼀个更⼴阔的整体——我们的族群、我们的地球、我们的宇宙。这个整体需要我们⽤⼼呵护，⽽其根本基础，唯有相互理解与尊重、对话与和平。这些原则，正是佛罗伦萨双年展⾃始⾄终所秉持的核⼼价值。
——2025第15届双年展策展委员会
展览现场
交流现场
2025年10月22日，驻佛罗伦萨总领事尹琦应邀出席了第15届佛罗伦萨双年展。尹总领事与双年展主席贾科博·切洛纳及参展中国单元艺术家进行了友好交流。
尹琦总领事表示，本届双年展不仅是一场视觉盛宴，更是一次思想的碰撞。双年展为东西方文化对话搭建一个很好的平台，希望中国艺术家利用好这个平台，讲好中国故事，展示中国艺术和艺术家的水平，让更多人了解中国当代艺术的成就，为中意文化交流注入更多鲜活内容。
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