In line with the theme of the 20th International Festival of Contemporary Dance, Time Does Not Exist, the structure of the catalogue for the Biennale Danza 2026 reflects the non-linearity and multiplicity of time. Thanks to its complex design and high level of technical craftsmanship, the book conveys the theme chosen by Artistic Director Wayne McGregor and interpreted by the participating artists. The catalogue is, in fact, composed of nine booklets enclosed in a slipcase.
The first and final booklets both consist of images. In the first one, nine sequences by Eadweard Muybridge have been graphically altered to convey the essence of the theme Time Does Not Exist: subjects removed or replaced, edge detection, and point cloud mapping using LiDAR technology. The final booklet, instead, retraces the twenty editions of the Festival: each year is represented by an iconic image from the Historical Archives of La Biennale di Venezia. The photographs, presented individually, are linked together by colour strips that symbolise the persistence of images over time.
The remaining booklets contain the introduction by the President of La Biennale, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, and the curatorial text by Artistic Director Wayne McGregor, which presents his vision of the chosen theme. These are followed by an essay by Australian academic Tyson Yunkaporta – a scholar of Indigenous knowledge systems and their relevance to global challenges – and six interviews with some of the artists featured in the Festival (Stephen Page & Frances Rings, Mamela Nyamza, Imre & Marne van Opstal, Andrea Salustri, Elle Sofe Sara, Wen Hui & Eiko Otake). Another booklet explores the theme through the artists’ own words and an evocative image of their choice. A section is dedicated to the winners of the Golden Lion, Bangarra Dance Theatre, and the Silver Lion, Mamela Nyamza, as well as to the artists present at the Biennale Danza 2026, complete with stage photographs, descriptions of the works, and artists’ biographies. One booklet is for the Biennale College Danza 2026 (for Choreographers and Dancers), which this year once again sees the participation of two world-renowned contemporary dance choreographers (Maxine Doyle and Molissa Fenley). The films to be screened during the Festival are detailed in another booklet, which ends with a presentation of the workshops open to the public and led by the artists.
Graphic design and layout are by Studio Headline, Rovereto.