Venice Biennale

In 2009, the Balnaves Foundation continues its support as a Major Partner of Australia’s representation at the Venice Biennale.

The Venice Biennale is the oldest and most important visual arts event in the world. Every two years Venice becomes the world stage showcasing the latest in contemporary art. It attracts 30,000 key international curators, critics, collectors and artists to the three-day Vernissage (preview) period alone and a further 265,000 visitors (including many school groups and young adults) to the five-month exhibition. 

Australia’s participation in the Venice Biennale is managed by the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body.

Five Australian artists have been selected to represent Australia in 2009 – Shaun Gladwell, Vernon Ah Kee, Ken Yonetani, Sean Cordeiro and Claire Healy.

Shaun Gladwell will present MADDESTMAXIMUS: Planet and Stars Sequence at the Australian Pavilion in the Giardini.  Influenced by his experiences in Australia’s landscape of the outback, and Mad Max movies, his work is a suite of five videos accompanied by sound and photographic works. 

Felicity Fenner has curated a group exhibition of early career artists at The Ludoteca, a former convent in the Castello district between the Giardini and the Arsenale. The exhibition Once Removed, features artists Vernon Ah Kee, Ken Yonetani, and Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro through a series of installations unified by themes of displacement, Indigenous and environmental issues.

Vernon Ah Kee
Cant Chant (Wegrewhere), 2007-2009

Ken Yonetani
Sweet Barrier Reef, 2009

Shaun Gladwell
Apology to Roadkill, 2007

Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro
Life Span, 2009 

For furthur information please visit the Venice Biennale website