Vasif Kortun appointed curator for the UAE national pavilon at the 54th International Art Exhibition

VASIF KORTUN APPOINTED CURATOR FOR THE UAE NATIONAL PAVILION AT THE 54TH VENICE BIENNALE
United Arab Emirates to participate for second time in international art exhibition building on successful debut in 2009
ABU DHABI, May 23rd: The Ministry of Culture, Youth & Community Development and the Office of the UAE Pavilion is proud to announce the participation of the UAE National Pavilion for the second time at the 54th International Art Exhibition – the Venice Biennale in the summer of 2011.
After a hugely successful entry at the worlds most universally recognized and prestigious contemporary art exhibition in 2009, UAE has selected esteemed Turkish writer and educator Vasif Kortun as the Pavilion’s curator. Kortun was chosen as the next curator by a Selection Committee comprised of distinguished curators and art world practitioners including: Rita Aoun, Art and Cultural Advisor of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Development & Investment Company; Antonia Carver, editor-at-large of Bidoun magazine and manager of Bidoun Projects; Salwa Mikdadi, Head of Arts and Culture Programming for Emirates Foundation; Jack Persekian, Artistic Director of the Sharjah Biennial and Tirdad Zolghadr, critic, writer, filmmaker and curator of the UAE’s first National Pavilion in 2009.
Kortun is a writer, curator and teacher in the field of contemporary visual art, and lives and works in Istanbul where he has greatly influenced the local and regional art scene. He is the programmes and research director of a new intra-disciplinary institution to open in 2011 in Istanbul and was the founding director of several spaces including Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center (2001-2010), Proje4L Istanbul Museum of Contemporary Art (2001-2004), and the Museum of the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, New York (1993-1997).
Kortun was the chief curator of the Third and the co-curator of the Ninth Istanbul Biennials in 1992 and 2005, respectively, and has, in addition, co-curated Biennales in Taipei (2008), Sao Paolo (1998), Tirana (2003) and organized the Turkish Pavilion in Venice (2007), and 1994 and 1998 Sao Biennials. He has curated numerous exhibitions in Turkey and internationally, and received the Ninth Annual Award for Curatorial Excellence given by the Center for Curatorial Studies (2006).
With the great success of the UAE’s first National Pavilion at Venice last year, there was every reason to ensure the United Arab Emirates would continue with strong curatorial participation decided through a Selection Committee of professional stature.
Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development commented, “The UAE National Pavilion in Venice did more than celebrate the emergence of the country on the cultural stage, it offered both an artistic and intellectual contribution to the Venice Biennale—one that successfully reflected, and encouraged critical thinking and artistic practice in and about the UAE.”
The Venice Biennale today includes the official pavilions of more than 70 nations since its inception in 1895. Its International Art Exhibition draws more than 300,000 influential visitors from around the world. The UAE Pavilion continues to be developed and presented under the leadership of its Commissioner, Dr. Lamees Hamdan, a member of the Board of Directors of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
Established to endorse the UAE’s art scene on an international platform and build on local projects, such as the progressive Saadiyat Islands, the National Pavilion will return to Venice to engage in vibrant cultural exchange - a significant part of the mission of the Office of the UAE Pavilion.
“One of the main objectives of the Pavilion is to strongly communicate internationally the depth of contemporary art practices in the United Arab Emirates, and to provide a foundation to support the nation’s diverse and developing art scene,” said Dr Hamdan.  This was demonstrated through the initial program of the Pavilion with its curatorial theme focused on 'exhibition making', a theme which generated audience participation and critical commentary. Now, through the National Pavilion, the UAE will yet again take pride in showcasing its work and artists to the world, representing the country through its imminent artistic development.
The UAE’s debut in the 2009 Venice Biennale as the only gulf nation to participate in the history of the exhibition highlights the country’s cultural agenda elevating it to international heights and generating awareness around the multitude of activities scheduled for the future. The ongoing success of the Sharjah Biennale (under the Sharjah Art Foundation), together with the growing international reputation of Dubai galleries and Abu Dhabi’s governmental ambitious and inspiring plans through institutions as the Saadiyat Island and Performing Arts Centre, have placed the UAE on the global cultural radar. Kortun’s international experience in the region and internationally, along with his ability to compose analytical and challenging exhibitions, engages the audience with the vision of fundamental cultural development in the UAE.
Details of the featured artists and the exhibition program will be announced in late 2010 or early 2011. The UAE Pavilion at the Venice Biennial is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development.