Daria Kamyshnikova, Director of “Free Workshops” Contemporary Art School under the aegis of Moscow Museum of Modern Art
Vladimir Levashov, Art Director of Stella Art Foundation
Irina Yashkova, curator of M’Ars Contemporary Art Centre
Anna Zaitseva, Head of non-commercial exhibition programme of the Winzavod Contemporary Art Centre

Main programme of the Biennale will be formed by the Curatorial Committee as a result of open call for proposals. Key criterion for curators’ choice is not only the age of the artists, but also the stadium of their creative activity. We mean the spirit, the pathos of young art, creative shot, new vision and method. We say “Qui vive?” to the young artists calling them to stop their “Brownian motion” for a while and to think of where it is to lead them, to articulate their artistic and conceptual positions. Calling them to answer the question “Qui vive?”, “Who is coming?”

Artworks made by artists of new generation under 35 years old, who work in field of contemporary arts using the new strategies, concepts and technologies can be proposed for participation in the Biennale (individual, collective or within curated projects); in some solitary cases according to the decision of the Curatorial Committee the age limitations can be slightly superseded. Preference will be given to artists who haven’t yet had large one-man shows.

Exhibitions of the Biennale will take place at different spaces in Moscow, including the leading institutions: National Centre for Contemporary Arts (both exhibition halls), Moscow Museum of Modern Art (all the 3 buildings), State Tretjakov Gallery, Winzavod Contemporary Art Centre, ÏRÎÅÊÒ_ FÀÁRÈÊÀ, Stella Art Foundation, M’Ars Contemporary Art Centre, RuArts Foundation, Art-Strelka Cultural Centre, Era Foundation, Zverevsky Centemporary Art Centre and others. Negotiations with possible partners are going on.

Besides the projects formed by the Curatorial Committee there is a special exhibition programme consisting of project by guest curators planned; as well as public-art projects, special performance programme, videoscreenings, concerts in the leading clubs of the city and outdoors.

After final selection of participating projects a catalogue will be published.

In 2008 the “Qui vive?” Biennale will take place for the first time, but the idea of such a project has certain history and experience.

“Qui vive?” International Young Art Festival initiated by the National Centre for Contemporary Arts has been held annually from 2002 till 2006 and now it taking Biennale format. A number of partners join the project: institutions and free-lance curators, who are interested in development of emerging art. Various, but having the same aim initiatives unite in a wide-scale project. Its’ purpose is to support and stimulate development of the artists of new generation and demonstrate the emerging artworks to the public.

The programme of the Biennale is addressed to people of all ages, to the increasing number of Russian and foreign art-lovers who follow the evolution of ongoing contemporary art process. The Biennale attracts interest of professional art community: art historians, critics, curators and gallery owners, who are searching for new talents and make book on long-term perspectives.