The 55th Venice Biennale’s Golden Lions
Il Palazzo Enciclopedico (The Encyclopedic Palace)
The Jury of the 55th International Art Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia chaired by
Jessica Morgan (Great Britain) and comprised of Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy
(Mexico), Francesco Manacorda (Italy), Bisi Silva (Nigeria), Ali Subotnick
(United States) conferred the awards as follows:
Golden Lion for
Best National Participation to Angola
Luanda, Encyclopedic City
Edson Chagas
Commissioner: Ministry of Culture. Curators: Beyond
Entropy (Paula Nascimento, Stefano Rabolli Pansera), Jorge Gumbe. Venue:
Palazzo Cini, Dorsoduro 864
Golden Lion for
best artist in the International Exhibition Il Palazzo Enciclopedico (The Encyclopedic
Palace) to Tino Sehgal
(Great Britain, 1976; Central Pavilion, Giardini)
Silver Lion for a
promising young artist in the International Exhibition Il Palazzo Enciclopedico (The Encyclopedic Palace) to Camille Henrot (France, 1978; Corderie, Arsenale)
The Jury has also decided to assign four special mentions.
Special mentions
for artists of the International Exhibition Il
Palazzo Enciclopedico (The Encyclopedic Palace):
Sharon Hayes
(USA, 1970; Corderie, Arsenale)
Another special
mention for Roberto Cuoghi (Italy, 1973; Corderie, Arsenale) for
the significant and compelling contribution to the International Exhibition.
Special mentions
for National Participations:
to Lithuania and Cyprus for an original curatorial
format that brings together two countries in a singular experience.
Cyprus: Lia Haraki, Maria Hassabi, Phanos Kyriacou, Constantinos Taliotis,
Natalie Yiaxi, Morten Norbye Halvorsen, Jason Dodge, Gabriel Lester, Dexter
Sinister
Commissioner: Louli Michaelidou. Deputy Commissioners:
Angela Skordi, Marika Ioannou. Curator: Raimundas Malašauskas. Venue: Palasport
Arsenale, Castello (Calle San Biagio)
Lithuania: Gintaras Didžiapetris, Elena Narbutaitė, Liudvikas Buklys, Kazys
Varnelis, Vytaute Žilinskaite, Morten Norbye Halvorsen, Jason Dodge, Gabriel
Lester, Dexter Sinister
Commissioners: Jonas Jonas Žokaitis, Aurimė
Aleksandravičiūtė. Curator: Raimundas Malašauskas. Venue: Palasport Arsenale,
Castello (Calle San Biagio)
Japan receives a special mention for the poignant reflection on issues of collaboration and failure. Photograph: Italo Rondinella Courtesy of the Venice Biennale |
Japan
abstract speaking - sharing uncertainty and collective
acts
Koki Tanaka
Commissioner: The Japan Foundation. Curator: Mika
Kuraya. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini.
Marisa Merz awarded a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Photograph: Giorgio Zucchiatti Courtesy of the Venice Biennale |
The Board of la Biennale di Venezia, chaired by Paolo
Baratta, also awarded Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement under director
Massimiliano Gioni’s proposal to Maria
Lassnig (born 1919 in Kappel am Krappfeld, Austria) and Marisa Merz (born in 1926 in Turin,
Italy).