Media release
Tuesday 19 February 2008
Venice Biennale 2009 entries close
Sixteen artist/curator teams have applied to represent New Zealand at the 2009 Venice Biennale.
Expressions of Interest closed on Thursday 14 February.
“It is pleasing to see this level of interest from the visual arts community, and the Arts Council looks forward to
receiving advice from the Selection Advisory Panel about the possibilities for representing New Zealand,” said Creative
New Zealand Chair Alastair Carruthers.
The Selection Advisory Panel members who will assist Creative New Zealand in its choice of the artist/curator team to
attend the Biennale are:
- Alastair Carruthers - Panel Chair, and Chair Creative New Zealand Arts Council
- Greg Burke - Director, The Power Plant, Toronto
- Jenny Gibbs - Art Patron
- Jenny Harper - Director, Christchurch Art Gallery
- Robert Jahnke - Artist and Professor of Māori Studies, Massey University
- Jenny May - Creative New Zealand’s Arts Council
- Jonathan Mane-Wheoki - Director of Art and Collection Services, Te Papa
- Caroline Vercoe - Senior Lecturer, Art History Department, Auckland University.
The selection of an artist/curator team to represent New Zealand at the Venice Biennale is a two stage process. Stage
one requires artist/curator teams to submit a short outline about the team and the project. The Selection Advisory Panel
chaired by Alastair Carruthers will meet in early March to discuss these project outlines, and a shortlist will be
developed.
Artists and curators on the shortlist will then be asked to submit a developed project proposal. Creative New Zealand’s
Arts Council will make the final decision regarding the artist/curator team and exhibition project to represent New
Zealand at the Venice Biennale, taking into consideration advice from the Selection Advisory Panel.
The final selection will be made mid 2008. The 2009 Venice Biennale, which takes place in June 2009, will mark the
fourth time that Creative New Zealand has hosted a New Zealand presence at the Venice Biennale.
ENDS
www.nzatvenice.com