Abstract

ABOUT THE BIENNIAL
Exhibition open: 16 April – 23 June 2026

Online auction opens noon Tuesday 9 June 2026

Auction bidding ends 9pm (BST) Tuesday 23 June 2026

Drawing Biennial 2026 is the place to discover what’s happening in drawing right now. Featuring over 300 works by artists at the forefront of contemporary practice, this exhibition reaffirms drawing as a fundamental and enduring discipline. It is also an important fundraising auction that offers a great opportunity to acquire drawings by renowned artists working internationally, while providing vital support that helps keep Drawing Room open and accessible to all.

Artists were invited to respond to an A4 sheet of paper, using any method or medium, with the resulting works exhibited at the gallery and auctioned online during the exhibition’s final two weeks, with bids starting at £400. In the Biennial catalogue, available here, four writers - Chloë Ashby (critic and author of The Second Self, 2023); Emily LaBarge (writer and author of Dog Days, 2025); Kadish Morris (editor, writer and poet); and Cleo Roberts-Komireddi (art historian, broadcaster and commentator) - provide different perspectives on the myriad of drawings on show, which represent a barometer of our collective psyche, through explorations of nature, ecology, identity, spirituality and world-building.

The Drawing Biennial raises a significant proportion of the funds that Drawing Room self-generates to support its exhibitions, unique drawing research library, and learning and outreach activities. This year’s edition will support international exhibitions such as Listening to the Earth, curated by Hammad Nasar, and an exciting programme of activities to celebrate Drawing Room’s 25th anniversary in 2027. As a charity, everything we do is made possible by the support of artists, collectors and visitors like you.

For our twelfth Biennial, artists were selected by the Co-founders/Directors and a committee comprising: David Austen (artist, co-founder Tannery Arts); Gus Booth-Clibborn (Healthtech founder and Tannery Arts trustee); Oyinkansola Dada (founder, Dada Gallery and Tannery Arts trustee); Sigrún Davídsdóttir (Director’s Circle, collector and art patron); Mia Davis (Sales Associate, Gazelli Art House and Tannery Arts trustee); Sarah Elson (Director’s Circle, founder, Launch Pad, curator and collector); Jagdip Jagpal (founder India Contemporary and Tannery Arts trustee); Hannah O’Leary (independent art advisor); Andrew Renton (Professor of Curating at Goldsmiths, advisory board member, writer and curator), Giulia Shah (Programme Co-ordinator, Art on the Underground and Tannery Arts trustee), Katharine Stout (Curator and arts consultant, Co-founder of Drawing Room and Tannery Arts trustee).