Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Jean-Marc Ayrault and Culture and Communication Minister Audrey Azoulay have selected Xavier Veilhan’s Merzbau musical project to represent France at the 57th Venice Biennale. The project will be curated by the Swiss-American artist and composer Christian Marclay and the Swiss-born art critic, historian, and publisher Lionel Bovier.
Merzbau musical alluding to Kurt Schwitters’s legendary sculpture, will explore the volumes and spaces of the pavilion, drawing inspiration from the world of the recording studio. Visitors will discover extraordinary musical instruments, some invented for the occasion, and will hear a wide variety of musicians throughout the Biennale.
Veilhan was selected to represent France from 24 candidates, including high-profile names such as Bertrand Lavier, Sheila Hicks, Stéphane Calais, and Ulla van Brandenburg.
So far, fifteen other national representations have been confirmed for the 2017 edition. These include:
Australia
Artist: Tracey Moffatt
Curator: Natalie King
Austria
Artist: Brigitte Kowanz, Erwin Wurm
Curator: Christa Steinle
Canada
Artist: Geoffrey Farmer
Curator: Kitty Scott
Denmark
Artist: Kirstine Roepstorff
Curator: tbc
Estonia
Artist: Katja Novitskova
Curator: Kati Ilves
Finland
Artists: Erkka Nissinen, Nathaniel Mellors
Curator: Xander Karskens
France
Artist: Xavier Veilhan
Curator: Lionel Bovier, Christian Marclay
Great Britain
Artist: Phyllida Barlow
Curator: Emma Dexter
Iceland
3 teams shortlisted
Ireland
Artist: Jesse Jones
Curator: Tessa Giblin
Italy
Artist: tbc
Curator: Cecilia Alemani
New Zealand
Artist: Lisa Reihana
Curator: Rhana Devenport
Nordic Pavilion
Artst: tbc
Curator: Mats Stjernstedt
Switzerland
Artist: tbc
Curator: Philipp Kaiser
Turkey
Artist: Cevdet Erek
Curator: tbc
United States
Artist: Mark Bradford
Curators: Christopher Bedford, Katy Seigel