With HAPPY PLACE, the Biennale explores the symbolism of Freiburg as “the south of Germany” and questions the economy of wanderlust and the semiotics of the picturesque. The title—capitalized, toxic and performative—refers to the concept of “cruel optimism,” which upholds the concept of the idyllic retreat in the midst of precarity and everyday crisis.  

From sunset backdrops with palm trees and iconic landmarks to picturesque villages and the staged performance of local traditions—tourism operates as a business fueled by promises of happiness, escapism, and the thrill of discovery. In this cartography of desires, "the south" is often framed as an object of longing, closely tied to romanticized and exoticized images of "paradise." Yet, paradoxically, tourism itself drives significant transformations of these very destinations. Given its far-reaching impacts on economies, environments, and political structures, as well as its influence on social dynamics, tourism must be examined as a multidimensional phenomenon.

The Biennale highlights the enduring links between colonialism and the global travel industry, with a particular focus on the processes of touristification in the so-called Global South. To critically interrogate how "the south" is staged as a site of touristic fantasies—and the material consequences of these imaginations—the Biennale invites local and international artists to examine geopolitical entanglements, power structures, and the longing for "the south" in their work. At the same time, their artistic positions reflect acts of resistance against constructed notions of otherness, offering a platform for emancipatory counter-narratives.

Through a range of formats—including a city-wide exhibition, performative city tours, a symposium, and mediation programs—the Biennale opens up new perspectives on tourism and its historical as well as contemporary dynamics. The aim is to reflect on tourism in all its contradictions while reimagining tourists not merely as consumers but as political subjects.

The Biennale for Freiburg 3 is curated by Lorena Juan. Isabel Francos Hohmann is assistant curator.

BIENNALE FÜR FREIBURG

Biennale für Freiburg is a new platform for contemporary art in Freiburg. In close collaboration with the invited artists and local actors, new formats and artworks are developed especially for the Biennale that create explicit references to the city and activate it as a field of experimentation: They reveal hidden stories, provoke unexpected experiences, and create moments of interchange and contact. The Biennale’s multi-layered program presents and mediates contemporary art beyond institutional spaces, puts local conditions in tension with global contexts and issues, and conveys new perspectives on the city.

The Biennale for Freiburg was founded in 2019 by the association “Perspektiven für Kunst in Freiburg e.V.” in response to the closure of the Freiburg branch of the Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe and the resulting question about the role of contemporary art (education) in Freiburg. The Biennale expands the cultural and artistic life in Freiburg and sets impulses for an ongoing exchange between national and international artists, artistic contexts, and the urban society.

Past editions were curated by Paula Kommoss [BfF2] and Leon Hösl [BfF1].