RIJKSMUSEUM REOPENING DELAYED; ARTISTS FOR NORDIC PAVILION IN VENICE ANNOUNCED

The reopening of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam after renovations has been postponed until 2010, two years later than planned, reports Lawrence Van Gelder for the New York Times_ (via Agence France-Presse). “The delay is caused by the time needed to obtain the necessary permits following modification of the plans for the study center,” the Dutch Culture Ministry said, adding that eighty new permits were needed.

Elsewhere, the artists for the Nordic Pavilion at this year’s Venice Bienniale, under the direction of Kunsthalle Fredericianum director René Block, have been announced. Adel Abidin (Finland), Jacob Dahlgren (Sweden), Toril Goksøyr and Camilla Marens (Norway), Sirous Namazi (Sweden), and Maaria Wirkkala (Finland) will exhibit under the title “Welfare—Fare Well.” A large-scale outdoor project by Lars Ramberg (Norway) is still under negotiation.