Chile, Switzerland, and South Africa Announce Artists for 2017 Venice Biennale

Three countries have revealed their artist selections for the 2017 Venice Biennale, curated by Christine Macel. Chile will be represented by Bernardo Oyarzùn, curated by Ticio Escobar, founder and director of the Museo del Barrio. Their exhibition, titled 'Werken,' will feature an installation of ceremonial masks made by the Mapuche indigenous people, accompanied by LED inserts displaying nearly 7,000 Mapuche surnames. This marks Chile's continued participation since 2009, when Ivan Navarro first represented the country. Switzerland presents a collaborative project curated by Philip Kaiser, 'Women of Venice,' inspired by Alberto Giacometti. The exhibition features Teresa Hubbard in tandem with Alexander Birchler and Carol Bove, exploring Swiss identity and cultural policies through new works. South Africa will be represented by Candice Breitz and Mohau Modisakeng in a project titled 'Connect Channel.' For the first time, the South African Department of Arts and Culture has appointed a television broadcaster to curate the national pavilion, alongside conventional curators Lucy McGarry and Musha Neluheni.