French Pavilion – 55th Biennale di Venezia. June 1st – November 24th 2013

Anri Sala has selected Christine Macel, Chief Curator at the Musée National d’Art Moderne - Centre Pompidou, to be the curator of his exhibition at the French Pavilion of the 55th Venice Biennale (2013). 

Christine Macel curated Anri Sala’s exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in 2012. In her own words, one of the characteristics of the artist’s work is to drive back the narrative and especially the symbolic dimension, leaving a blank space for the spectators who can project their own story.

Anri Sala was appointed in January of 2012 as the artist for the French Pavilion, on a proposal by Xavier Darcos, President of the Institut français, in consultation with the Ministry of Culture and Communication, and with a committee of experts.

For a couple of months now, Christine Macel and Anri Sala have been discussing with the curator of the German Pavilion and director of MMK, Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt, Susanne Gaensheimer, as well as with the artists invited by Germany, about the possibilities of a cooperation between France and Germany. They will report on this dialogue in the next couple of weeks. 

The Institut français is the operator of the French Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Communication (DGCA). The work presented during the Biennale will join the State’s public collections.

Massimiliano Gioni, Director of the Visual Arts section at La Biennale di Venezia, is the curator of the 55th International Art Exhibition that will be held from June 1st to November 24th 2013 (Preview: 29th, 30th, 31st May).