The Australia Council for the Arts has announced that Fiona Hall AO has been selected to represent Australia at the 56th International Art Exhibition, Venice Biennale 2015.
The Adelaide-based artist, who works across a broad range of media, will be the sole artist exhibiting at the newly constructed Australian Pavilion in the Giardini from May 2015. The exhibition will be curated by Linda Michael.
Venice Biennale 2015 Commissioner Simon Mordant AM said he was delighted Fiona Hall had agreed to represent Australia at the most prestigious, international contemporary art exposition.
“Fiona Hall is one of Australia’s foremost contemporary artists,” Mr Mordant said. “Her work is deeply thoughtful, insightful and engaging. I can’t wait to see the new works she will create for the exhibition in Venice.”
Ms Hall said she was thrilled to be invited to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale in 2015.
“It is a great honour to be offered this opportunity to create the first exhibition in the new Australian Pavilion,” Ms Hall said.
Fiona Hall first emerged in the 1970s as a photographer and during the 1980s she began working in a diverse range of artforms. The core theme throughout her work has been the relationship between nature and culture.
A major retrospective of her work was held at Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane and toured to the Art Gallery of South Australia (both 2005) and the survey exhibition Fiona Hall: Force Field at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in partnership with City Gallery Wellington (2008) toured to Christchurch Art Gallery, New Zealand and Newcastle Art Gallery.
She has been included in many important group exhibitions and biennales, such as ‘dOCUMENTA 13 (2012), the Third Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art (2009), The Biennale of Sydney (2000 and 2010), and Prism: Contemporary Australian Art at the Bridgestone Museum, Tokyo (2006). Her work has been collected by all major Australian State galleries as well as the National Gallery of Australia.
Australia Council Chair Rupert Myer AM said the Council was extremely pleased to have one of Australia’s most prominent contemporary artists exhibiting at the pavilion.
“The Venice Biennale is the most important and prestigious event on the international contemporary arts calendar and the Council considers our involvement to be an important part of the way we promote Australian artists to international audiences,” Mr Myer said.
“At this year’s biennale, about 200,000 people visited the Australian Pavilion to see Simryn Gill’s work and I have no doubt Fiona Hall’s exhibition will also attract an impressive number.
“The 2015 Venice Biennale is a particularly exciting one for Australia, as it will be the first year the new pavilion, designed by Denton Corker Marshall, will be open.”
For more information, visit: www.australiacouncil.gov.au for details.
Image: Fiona Hall AO by Will Taylor