The Toronto Biennial of Art has announced the details for its fourth edition, titled "Things Fall Apart," scheduled to run from September 26 to December 20. Curated by Allison Glenn, the exhibition will feature 30 artists and collectives, including Kent Monkman, Rebecca Belmore, and Dawoud Bey, with a heavy emphasis on new commissions. For the first time, the biennial is expanding its footprint beyond the Greater Toronto Area to include partnerships with institutions across Canada and international sites like Times Square in New York and the Anchorage Museum in Alaska.
This iteration matters as it signals the biennial's evolution from a local event into a significant North American cultural fixture. By centering the theme on "rupture" and the interconnectedness of global waterways—specifically the Great Lakes—the exhibition seeks to address contemporary geopolitical conflicts and environmental fluidity. The expansion into non-traditional venues like Pearson Airport and a Sikh Gurdwara reflects a strategic commitment to making contemporary art central to public life rather than a peripheral academic interest.