Esther Lu has been chosen as curator of the Taiwan Pavilion at the Venice Biennial’s 55th International Art Exhibition, heading a team of Taiwan and foreign artists, according to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum Nov. 19.
The pavilion will feature the work of Hsu Chia-wei, Taiwanese-German artist Bernd Behr and Katerina Seda of the Czech Republic.
This is the first time that foreign artists will represent Taiwan at the event, the TFAM said, adding that the proposal by Lu and her group beat out five other submissions.
“Lu stood out because her project captures the tension between imagination and critical thinking in contemporary art,” the TFAM explained.
Lu said her proposal is based on the history and current situation of the Taiwan Pavilion in Venice. “The works and narratives of curators and artists create a platform for exploring subjectification. The project views the pavilion as both an exhibition space and a concept evolving over time.”
The plan responds to the theme of this year’s event, The Encyclopedic Palace, she said. According to the event website, the theme reflects the attempts of artists, writers, scientists and prophets to “shed light on the constant challenge of reconciling the self with the universe, the subjective with the collective, the specific with the general, the individual with the culture of his or her time.”
The 2013 Venice Biennale will run from June 1 to Nov. 24, the TFAM said. (THN)
Write to Grace Kuo at mlkuo@mofa.gov.tw