The Nordic Commission has adopted a new format for future collaboration in the Nordic Pavilion at the Venice Biennial. This will take effect with the next Venice Biennial in 2011. To revitalize the exhibiting conditions, one Nordic country will take responsibility for the management and curating of the exhibition in the pavilion. The rotation begins with Sweden in 2011, Finland in 2013 and Norway in 2015. The two countries not responsible for the pavilion, will establish alternative venues in Venice during the Biennial period independently, at yet to be designated venues.

After 40 years of working according to one model, the impulse for adopting this decision comes from an interest in exploring new formats of national representation, in different locations and in parallel to the Nordic Pavilion in the Giardini, with a view to allowing each country greater flexibility in the choice of artists, works and means of expression and presentation. In 2009, the exhibition The Collectors, curated by Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset brought together for the first time the Nordic and Danish Pavilions in a single project. This exhibition
and its investigation of alternative modes
of presenting art within the Biennial context received critical and audience acclaim. The artists / curators were awarded a Special Mention by the Jury of the Venice Biennial.

The Nordic Committee is composed of FRAME – Finnish Fund for Art Exchange in Helsinki, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, and Office for Contemporary Art Norway in Oslo.

For more information: marthe@oca.no.