PH calls curatorial proposals for 58th Venice Art Biennale

The Philippine government has now opened its call for Filipino curatorial proposal at the 58th Venice Art Biennale, the world’s oldest and significant exhibition platform for contemporary art. (PIXABAY photo)

MANILA — The Philippine government has now opened its call for Filipino curatorial proposal at the 58th Venice Art Biennale, the world’s oldest and significant exhibition platform for contemporary art.

For two consecutive editions since 2015, the country has joined the global conversation discussing the state of the world and its people through the Philippine Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale.

Interested artists are urged to submit their proposals by May 24, 2018. Selected curatorial proposal will officially represent the Philippines in May to November 2019.

The call is open to all Filipino curators and contemporary artists residing in the Philippines and abroad, and is open to proposals by a single curator or by a team of two curators.

During the selection, a preliminary jury will shortlist proposals from among the submissions then a meeting with the proponents of the shortlisted proposals will be held.

A panel of jurors will convene to deliberate on the final proposals submitted by the shortlisted proponents.

On national participation

Only one exhibition is recognized by the Biennale for each participating country.

Thus, the formal invitation to participate is coursed through the highest concerned government agency of a country, which in turn initiates a distinct process of selecting and realizing a proposal for the country pavilion.

The search is spearheaded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda.

NCCA Chairman Virgilio Almario is the Commissioner of the Philippine Pavilion.

As the country aims to sustain its participation at the International Art Exhibition, the Philippine Pavilion will continue to be housed at the Artiglierie in Arsenale, one of the two major venues of the Venice Biennale.

Listed as a ‘must-see’ pavilion by art organizations and institutions, “Tie A String Around the World” curated by Patrick Flores in 2015 was a reflection on the changing configurations of the world via the Philippines, and the contentious meanings of nation, border, and territory.

Meanwhile, the recently concluded The Spectre of Comparison curated by Joselina Cruz in 2017 asked, “how does one represent a nation?” at a time when political winds are blowing towards the shifting nationalisms emerging in Europe and in Asia.

The DFA said the proposals are expected to respond to the issues of contemporary art in the Philippines and elsewhere, including the consideration of the general vision of the curator of the 58th Venice Art Biennale in 2019.