STATIC Trading Co presents NI/NI Venice 2017, a project developed by Paul Sullivan about the no show of Northern Ireland at the Venice Biennale 2017

| tag: Liverpool

The Venice Biennale for Art takes place from the 13th May 2017 - 26th November 2017 (Press days: 10th/11th/12th May). Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England will all have participating artists. NI will not. Why isn’t NI taking part in the Venice Biennale 2017?

Prompted by a short article by Hugh Mulholland (Senior curator at MAC, Belfast) entitled: ‘Venice and Northern Ireland: No show at Biennale is holding country’s artists and curators back’ published in a-n 31/05/16, in which he highlights the lack of representation of NI artists at Venice Biennale (see link below), NI/NI Venice 2017 is a project developed by Paul Sullivan of STATIC Trading Co, Liverpool.

Rather than accepting the formula of artists participation at Venice - Nation State applies/is invited, Nation State selects curator/artist/s - NI/NI Venice 2017 will examine and propose alternative structures of representation for 2017 and beyond.

At its core, the project will ask a number of questions:

  • Why isn’t NI taking part?
  • Is the current Venice Biennale structure of Nation State Pavilions and official annexes showcasing State selected artists still relevant/possible for territories such as NI?
  • Can NI/NI Venice 2017 offer an alternative structure, a new prototype for inclusion outside of State sanction/funding/invitation?
  • Is it relevant for NI artists to be represented at Venice?
  • What is a NI artist?
  • What is NI art?
  • Does representation need to happen at Venice, Italy? Are there possibilities of collaborations with alternative Venice’s globally?

What happens next?

In order to respond to these questions and to present our initial work we are hosting a series of public debates in NI in September 2016. Venues and dates to follow shortly.

Please like our Facebook page to be kept up to date with news/events: https://www.facebook.com/NI.NI.Venice.2017

For more information please contact Paul Sullivan: paul@statictrading.com

STATIC TRADING CO

23 Roscoe Lane,

Liverpool, L1 9JD