The 12^th edition of Liverpool Biennial uMoya: The sacred Return of Lost Things addresses the history and temperament of the city of Liverpool and is a call for ancestral and indigenous forms of knowledge, wisdom and healing. In the isiZulu language, ‘uMoya’ means spirit, breath, air, climate and wind.

This year's festival explores the ways in which people and objects have the potential to manifest power as they move across the world while acknowledging the continued losses of the past. It draws a line from the ongoing catastrophes caused by colonialism towards an insistence on being truly Alive.

More than 30 international artists and collectives have been invited to engage with uMoya as a compass, divine intervention, and thoroughfare. Taking over historic buildings, unexpected spaces and art galleries, a dynamic programme of free exhibitions, performances, screenings, community events, learning activities and fringe events unfolds over 14 weeks, shining a light on the city’s vibrant cultural scene.

This year, we are delighted to exhibit a powerful new artwork by artist Belinda Kazeem-Kamiński in collaboration with sound-artist Bassano Bonelli Bassano. Filmed here in Liverpool with local participants, Respire (Liverpool) is accompanied by soundscape Keep On Keeping On (for Nile) and dedicated to imagining spaces for Black breath and breathing to expand.

Rooted in Black feminist theory, Belinda presents a hauntingly visceral experience which investigates breath as a bodily response to violence, joy and liberation.

Liverpool Biennial 2023 is curated by Khaniyisile Mbongwa.