Xavier Veilhan: Studio Venezia

Curated by Lionel Bovier and Christian Marclay

The French pavilion for the Venice Biennale is transformed by Xavier Veilhan and the pavilion’s curators, Christian Marclay and Lionel Bovier, into a musical space in which professional musicians from all over the world work throughout the duration of the exhibition.

An immersive installation blurs the architectural lines of the French Pavilion: floors, walls and ceilings collide to form a landscape of wood and fabrics that houses a fully operational recording studio with a distinct acoustic identity. Inspired by additive and intuitive construction methods, this overall artwork evokes not only Kurt Schwitter’s Merzbau but also the phonic devices used during recordings.

Numerous instruments integrated into the space enable musicians from different horizons and genres to work on site, either individually or collaboratively. The presence of sound technicians and an impressive guest list of musicians ensure the possibility to experiment with sound, at the same time as encouraging unexpected collaborations. Musicians are free to decide how they wish to use their time and retain full ownership of their work.

Rather than attending concerts, visitors are instead invited to listen, watch, and bear witness to musical creations in progress. One-off actions replace shows, and consumption makes way for discovery. The artist, who remains present during the 179 days of the Biennale, hopes the pavilion becomes a living, breathing space rather than a passive receptacle for predetermined programmes.          

Xavier Veilhan and the team behind the project looked for a form of interaction that breaks away from a cultural industry declaring itself the keeper of both the “fringe” and the “unplugged.” The cards that, when dealt, lead to the same old hierarchies between renowned, experimental and amateur musicians are reshuffled, offering a responsive programme that visitors won’t know in advance. Digital means are used to prolong and enrich the visitor’s experience: the website (www.studio-venezia.com) broadcasts the pavilion’s sound feed in real time.  

Since conceiving the idea, Xavier Veilhan has envisaged his Venice exhibition not as an end in itself, but as the first step in an international journey. This travel dynamic corresponds fully to the philosophy behind the project, which functions, in the artist’s own words, as a “musical reflector.” Thanks to invitations from several partners via the Institut français, Studio Venezia will hence become in 2018 Studio Buenos Aires and Studio Lisboa. The project will be presented at CCK in Buenos Aires and at MAAT, Lisbon’s new museum of art, architecture, and technology.

The French pavilion is produced by the Institut français
In collaboration with the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture

Artistic collaboration: Alexis Bertrand
Studio equipped by: Nigel Godrich
Associated musical programmers: Enrico Bettinello, Olivier Lexa  and Victor Nebbiolo di Castri
Production: ARTER
Graphic design: Gavillet & Cie/Devaud

Official partner: Groupe Galeries Lafayette
Patrons: LVMH/Moët Hennessy.Louis Vuitton, Yong-Soo Huh, Bonaventure Kwak and ARTER
With the support of the galleries 313 ART PROJECT, Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Galerie Perrotin and Galeria Nara Roesler
Digital and media partners: BETC, Deezer, ECAL, Radio Nova and Les Inrockuptibles
Partners for musical programming and instruments: Académie de l’Opéra de Paris, Cité de la Musique - Philharmonie de Paris, Musée EDF - Electropolis / Fondation EDF, le lieu unique, MORE Festival, Structures Sonores Baschet & rights holders, We Love Art, Gibson and Ableton.

Many thanks to Pontus Bonnier, Yeah Choo San, Jim Demare, Fabian Hielte, Phyllis Katz, M. & Mme Albert Klein, Rosa Ling, Hubert, Belinda & Melissa Neumann, Raoul Salomon, Taguchi Art Collection (Tokyo), Maxwell Shopkorn, Steve Tananbaum, David & Sayoko Teitelbaum and Alison Wolfson.

Press contact
Heymann Renoult Associées
Agnès Renoult and Bettina Bauerfeind
b.bauerfeind [​at​] heymann-renoult.com / T +33 (0)1 44 61 76 76
France