CALL FOR CURATORIAL PROPOSALS – Philippine Participation at the 58th Venice Art Biennale (2019)

January 17, 2018

For two consecutive editions since 2015, the country has joined the global conversation discussing the state of the world and its people through the Philippine Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale.

Listed as a ‘must-see’ pavilion by art organizations and institutions, Tie A String Around the World curated by Patrick D. Flores in 2015 was a reflection on the changing configurations of the world via the Philippines, and the contentious meanings of nation, border, and territory.

Meanwhile, the recently concluded The Spectre of Comparison curated by Joselina Cruz in 2017 asked, “how does one represent a nation?” at a time when political winds are blowing towards the shifting nationalisms emerging in Europe and in Asia.

After these successful endeavors, the Philippines will continue to participate in the important contemporary art exhibition and once again announces the OPEN CALL FOR CURATORIAL PROPOSALS for the Philippine participation at the 58th Venice Art Biennale, initiated by la Fondazione la Biennale di Venezia.

The search is spearheaded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda.

The selected curatorial proposal will officially represent the Philippines in 2019 at the world’s oldest and significant exhibition platform for contemporary art. The deadline for the CALL I is on 24 May 2018 (Thursday).

NCCA Chairman Virgilio S. Almario is the Commissioner of the Philippine Pavilion.

As the country aims to sustain its participation at the International Art Exhibition, the Philippine Pavilion will continue to be housed at the Artiglierie in Arsenale, one of the two major venues of the Venice Biennale.

The proposals are expected to respond to the issues of contemporary art in the Philippines and elsewhere, including the consideration of the general vision of the curator of the 58th Venice Art Biennale (2019).

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

The CALL is open to all Filipino curators and contemporary artists residing in the Philippines and abroad. The CALL is open to proposals by a single curator or by a team of two curators.

SELECTION PROCESS

A preliminary jury will shortlist proposals from among the submissions. A meeting with the proponents of the shortlisted proposals will be held. A panel of jurors will convene to deliberate on the final proposals submitted by the shortlisted proponents. The panel will select one curatorial proposal that will represent the Philippines at the 58th Venice Art Biennale (2019).

With the support of all the cooperating agencies through the Coordinating Committee of the Philippine Arts in Venice Biennale (PAVB), the selected proposal will be realized in the Philippine Pavilion in the Arsenale in Venice to be opened on May 11, 2019 and will run until November 24, 2019.

ON NATIONAL PARTICIPATION

Only one exhibition is recognized by la Biennale for each participating country. Thus, the formal invitation to participate is coursed through the highest concerned government agency of a country, which in turn initiates a distinct process of selecting and realizing a proposal for the country pavilion. The exhibition that officially represents a country will be recognized in all the materials produced by la Biennale di Venezia, particularly the catalogue, as the only participation of the country.

CURATOR OF THE 58th VENICE ART BIENNALE (2019)

American-born, London-based curator Ralph Rugoff has been appointed artistic director of the 2019 Venice Art Biennale.

La Biennale President Paolo Baratta stated that “the appointment of Ralph Rugoff confirms the Biennale’s primary goal, to qualify the Exhibition as a place of encounter between the visitors, the art and the artists. An Exhibition engaging the viewers directly with the artworks in such a way that memory, the unexpected, the possible provocation, the new and the different can stimulate their visions, their minds and their emotions, and offer them the opportunity for a direct experience.”

CONTENT OF THE PROPOSAL

1. Title of the Exhibition

2. Curatorial Concept (800 -1,000 words only)
3. Proposed Exhibition lay-out
4. Object list
5. CV of Proponent/s (please include 3 major sample works)
6. CV of the Exhibitor/s (please include 3 major sample works) 7. Budget (production of works only)

8. Production Timeline

9. Contact Information

QUALIFICATIONS OF PROPONENT/S

  1. Natural-born Filipino citizens and Filipinos with dual citizenship upon submission of the proposal;

    (Please attach proof of identification and citizenship)

  2. Have participated in at least one international contemporary exhibition or related projects/platforms.

QUALIFICATIONS OF EXHIBITORS/PARTICIPANTS/ ARTISTS

1. Natural-born Filipino citizens and Filipinos with dual citizenship upon submission of the proposal;

(Please attach proof of identification and citizenship)

2. Have participated in at least one national exhibition or an equivalent record in related projects/platforms

CURATORIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Determine the curatorial direction of the exhibition
2. Manage the concretization of the curatorial proposal from the preparatory

phase to the mounting of the exhibition in Venice

3. Initiate a consultative process between and among exhibitor/s and the PAVB Coordinating Committee

  1. Supervise the exhibitor/s in realizing the curatorial concept
  2. Prepare the production schedule of the exhibition and manage its implementation
  3. Prepare content and collaborate with a designer for the exhibition catalogue and other printed materials of the exhibition
  4. Write exhibition notes and wall texts for the exhibition

8. Prepare write-ups on the exhibition for the official la Biennale catalogue and for promotional purposes of the Philippine participation at the Venice Biennale

  1. Edit and write for the catalogue and other collateral materials
  2. Coordinate with the Philippine Arts Venice Biennale (PAVB) Coordinating Committee
  3. Officially represent the Philippines in all meetings, events and other activities related to the Architecture Biennale
  4. Propose collateral events for the Pavilion and help manage its implementation

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

1. Download open call proposal form from www.philartvenicebiennale.com

2. Submit the completed form and ALL the necessary documents only via email to [email protected], with subject heading “Curatorial Proposal,” on or before 24 May 2018 (Thursday).

Emailed proposals will be duly acknowledged upon receipt.

Deadline of Submission: 24 May 2018 (local date and time) (Late submissions will not be accepted).

Announcement of Result: on or before 30 June 2018

Contact Information:

email: [email protected] landline: (+632) 527-2192 loc. 727 website: www.philartvenicebiennale.com