E-Newsletter: Iraq Pavilion @ Venice Biennale 2011
January 2011 Edition
Under the Patronage of the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Water Resources - Republic of Iraq
|
 |
|
Acqua Ferita Wounded Water |
54th Venice Biennale 2011 welcomes Iraq back after 35 years!
Welcome to the first e-newsletter of the Iraq Pavilion @ the Venice Biennale and a Happy New Year 2011!
Confirmed by the Foundation of the Venice Biennale, Iraq will return to the world's most prestigious art platform after a 35 year absence! The return of the Iraq Pavilion to the 54th Venice Biennale between June and November 2011 will be an incredible benchmark in placing Iraqi artists back on the global contemporary art stage.
Mark your calendars now for opening week in Venice June 2011, which promises to be an amazing week of openings, previews, parties and dinners with artists, curators, collectors, museums and media from all over the globe. The 53rd edition of the International Art Exhibition in 2009 attracted a record 375,702 visitors between June and November, and included the participation of 77 national pavilions.
The Pavilion of Iraq opens on June 2nd 2011, with a Gala Dinner dedicated to Pavilion supporters the following evening on June 3rd. The exhibition will run in Venice until November 2011. More details to follow in subsequent newsletters! |
|
| La Biennale di Venezia: the world's most prestigious art fair |
Acqua Ferita: water as a main theme of the Iraq Pavilion |
|
As the world's most important platform for the exhibition, exchange and presentation of international contemporary art since 1895, an Iraq Pavilion at the Venice Biennale will have an indelible impact in creating awareness .... read more>> |
|
| The title of the Iraq Pavilion is "Acqua Ferita" (translated as "Wounded Water"). Six important Iraqi artists from two generations will interpret the theme of water in their works, which will make up the exhibition: Adel Abidin, Halim Al Karim, Ahmed Alsoudani, Ali Assaf, Azad Nanakeli, and Walid Siti. We have secured a marvellous .... read more>> |
|
|
| Pavilion artists include: Adel Abidin, Halim Al Karim, Ahmed Alsoudani, Ali Assaf, Azad Nanakeli & Walid Siti |
 |
| Our Official Supporters |
| The Pavilion has attracted enormous interest from galleries, foundations, celebrities, sponsors, patrons and the media – from the BBC, Christies' Haunch of Venison, Associazione Sala Uno Roma, Associazione Culturale Nuova Icona, XVA, Changing Role, Association of Iraqi Artists and Arab Fund for Art and Culture, to the Fondazione Gervasuti and the Commission of the 54th Venice Biennale. Furthermore, the renowned art magazine and publisher CANVAS has now been confirmed as Media Partner. .... read more>> |
|
| Windows on Iraq: showcasing home-grown talent |
BBC to make documentary on Iraq Pavilion |
Thank You To Our Patrons & Sponsors |
| In addition to the main exhibition held between June and November 2011 at the Gervasuti ‎Foundation, the Pavilion of Iraq will launch a special feature entitled "Windows on Iraq" which ‎will showcase an audio-visual survey of artists living in Iraq today. Produced by the Echo ‎Foundation, this short film will be directed by the award-winning young Iraqi director Oday ‎Rasheed. |
 In a great coup for Iraqi art, the BBC
has just confirmed they will produce an important film documentary on the Iraq Pavilion which will be broadcast in June 2011 as part of the broadcaster's IMAGINE series. |
The Iraq Pavilion is deeply grateful for the support given by numerous patrons and sponsors to make this project a reality. Without the financial backing of these dedicated individuals and companies the Pavilion simply wouldn't have happened; so many thanks to the following confirmed Patrons: Shwan Taha, Laith & Reem Kubba, Serra Kirdar-Meliti, Rana Kirdar, the Swaidi family, Amro & Nawel Sabounchi and Nada Alkhouzai. We look forward to seeing you all at the Gala Dinner in Venice! |
|
| Want To Support The Pavilion? |
|
Want to join us in Venice? Your support in bringing contemporary Iraqi art to the forefront would ‎be an important step in the re-establishment of Iraq's cultural identity. If you are interested in ‎supporting Iraqi art and culture through involvement as a Sponsor or Patron there are still a limited ‎number of individual patronage and sponsorship packages available. .... read more>>
For more information on sponsorship/patronage please contact Reem Shather-Kubba at shatherkubba@gmail.com. |
|
 |
| The Team |
|
We are very fortunate to have an experienced and committed team working on this project. The Steering Committee consists of Iraqi artist Ali Assaf (Commissioner), Vittorio Urbani (Director of Nuova Icona in Venice and Co-Commissioner), Mary-Angela Schroth (Curator of the Iraq Pavilion and Director of Sala 1, Rome's oldest non-profit and leading presenter of contemporary art), Shwan Taha (Chairman of Patrons Committee), Reem Shather-Kubba (Co-Chair of Patrons Committee) and Rijin Sahakian (Director of Echo Foundation and producer of Windows on Iraq).
For general enquiries on the Pavilion please contact Sala 1 on Tel +39 06 7008691 or salauno@salauno.com. |
|
"As usual, the Biennale di Venezia is the most eagerly awaited exhibition in the world of international art. This because despite its age and the vast number of art events throughout the world, the Biennale remains the most prestigious."
- L'Express, Annick Colonna-Césari, June 7th 2009 |
|
|
|
|