L’Andart 21

Curator’s greeting

Two editions ago, the Biennial was born to take art out of the museums and bring it within everyone’s reach, to explore its (and our) relationship with nature and to create a new contemporary landscape.

This way, the Andorran landscape has never gone unnoticed during the exhibition. In no way! But in this edition, full of novelty, it has become the main subject.

How? Through the theme chosen for the current Biennial: shinrin-yoku or ‘forest bathing’, a Japanese practice that invites us to delve deep into nature and take advantage of all the benefits it provides.

Taking into consideration the new location and format of the exhibition, as well as the characteristics of the country we live in, the theme could be no other. Because this year all the artworks have been placed in the wooded area that surrounds the Engolasters Lake so they can be seen altogether in one day, which makes the Biennial the perfect excuse to take a walk and “get lost” in nature.

Nowadays, when everything has speed up and people seem to be living in a constant hurry and paying the consequences, shinrin-yoku can help us fight the harmful effects that some aspects of modern life, such as stress, induce to our health. Because, as immunologist Qing Li states, among the many benefits of ‘forest baths’, it has been proven that “the immune system of the trees strengthens our defences”.

This year’s proposal is for the spectators to allocate some hours for themselves, take their first step into shinrin-yoku and enjoy that thing both art and nature have always offered: calm, contemplation and serenity.

This way, the 3rdrd International Biennial of Andorra L’ANDART ‘19 offers two experiences: that of the spectator of an art exhibition who analyses the message and the artwork and that of the person who is out for a walk and gets carried away by the beauty that surrounds them. An exhibition that invites to be revisited and that we hope everyone will enjoy in their own way.

We want to thank all the visitors, from this but also from the previous editions, and to all the artists, local and international, who took part in them. Without you, obviously, the Biennial would not be what it is, as it wouldn’t exist without the support of the country’s institutions and of our sponsors. To those who were part of this project from the beginning and also to the ones that are supporting us for the first time, to the biggest and the smallest ones, thank you very much.

Lastly, I’d like to make a special mention to FEDA, the company that so generously provides the land and facilities for this 2019 exhibition and which, with this gesture, also opens its doors for us to discover a bit more about the history of the Andorran Electric Company.

And there’s just one thing left: to wish you all a delightful and enriching Biennial!

Pere Moles
L’ANDART’s Curator

For more information please visit the website or download the PDF.