MASSIMILIANO GIONI NAMED CURATOR OF THE 55TH VENICE BIENNALE

Massimiliano Gioni is set to curate the 55th Venice Biennale, having today being named director of the visual arts sector. Gioni is currently associate director of the New Museum and artistic director of the Fondazione Nicola Trussardi. The Biennale’s board of directors also appointed composer Ivan Fedele as director of the music sector for a four-year term and confirmed that Àlex Rigola, who served as director of the theater sector for 2010 and 2011, will continue with his role for the next two years. Ismael Ivo, director of the dance sector since 2005, has been confirmed for the year 2012.

Paolo Baratta, chair of the board of directors, noted in a press release that “the Biennale is moving in the direction of pluralism and continuity . . . . In the visual arts, after acknowledging the success of Bice Curiger’s edition, the board has chosen to appoint the new director far in advance, and among the possible solutions in the international field, has selected Massimiliano Gioni as a young personality who has already accumulated a number of important appointments, which he has honored so well as to win the esteem of artists and critics around the world.”