Fiona Hall AO to represent Australia at the 2015 Venice Biennale
9 May–22 November 2015
Australian Pavilion
Giardini della Biennale
Venice
Italy
venicebiennale.australiacouncil.gov.au
The Australia Council for the Arts announces Fiona Hall AO as the artist 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.”
Fiona 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 came to prominence as a photographer in the 1970s and during the 1980s she extended her creative practice to embrace a diverse range of art forms including sculpture, installation, garden design and film. Transforming everyday materials and objects, Hall creates artworks which often address the relationship between nature and culture. Her practice includes major public commissions and projects that have increasingly engaged with themes of ecology, history and the effects of globalisation.
A major retrospective of Fiona Hall’s work was held at Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane and the Art Gallery of South Australia (both 2005). The survey exhibition Fiona Hall: Force Field presented 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 significant group exhibitions and biennales including 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).
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. “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.” Australia’s 2015 Venice Biennale exhibition will be supported by Major Partner, The Balnaves Foundation and Supporting Partners, Maddocks, The University of Melbourne and White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney.
The 2015 Venice Biennale Commissioner’s Council is tasked with positioning Australia in Venice and its national membership comprises Simon Mordant AM, Charles Green, Deputy Commissioner for Australia at the 2015 Venice Biennale, Hamish Balnaves, Anita Belgiorno-Nettis, Adrian Fini, Mark Henry, Ross Nielson, Roslyn Oxley, Lisa Paulsen and Nick Tobias.
Australia’s representation at the Venice Biennale is managed by the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body. The Australia Council support Australia’s arts through funding, strengthening and developing the arts sector.
Media contact
Karen Smith
T +61 2 9215 9030 / +61 498 123 541/ k.smith [at] australiacouncil.gov.au
