Florian Ebner Curates German Pavilion at 2015 Venice Biennale as 'Factory' with Four Artist Positions
In 2015, Florian Ebner took the lead in curating the German Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, reimagining it as a multifaceted factory. The showcase included works by Hito Steyerl, Olaf Nicolai, Tobias Zielony, and the collaborative team of Jasmina Metwaly and Philip Rizk. Ebner characterized the pavilion as a conceptual factory infused with political themes and digital illumination. Situated in the Giardini, it featured striking architectural elements and bold artistic expressions, diverging from the conventional white cube. He expressed pride in representing Germany during discussions surrounding national pavilions. Ebner's goal was to engage a diverse audience, with a questionnaire released online on April 13, 2015, as part of ArtReview's pre-biennale series.
Key facts
- Florian Ebner curated the German Pavilion at the 2015 Venice Biennale
- The exhibition featured artists Hito Steyerl, Olaf Nicolai, Tobias Zielony, and the duo Jasmina Metwaly and Philip Rizk
- The pavilion was transformed into a factory with political, digital, and analytical dimensions
- The German Pavilion is located in the Giardini
- Ebner described the pavilion as the total antithesis of the white cube
- He considered curating the national representation a 'problematic honour'
- Ebner referenced Okwui Enwezor's concept of the 'Garden of Disorder'
- The questionnaire was published online on April 13, 2015
Entities
Artists
- Florian Ebner
- Jasmina Metwaly
- Philip Rizk
- Olaf Nicolai
- Hito Steyerl
- Tobias Zielony
- Martin Kippenberger
- Candida Höfer
- Okwui Enwezor
Institutions
- ArtReview
- Venice Biennale
- German Pavilion
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Giardini
- Cairo
- Egypt
- Berlin
- Germany