Curatorial practices and ‘intrinsically English’ art: The British pavilion at the Venice Biennale

Abstract

ABSTRACT British artists have been a constant presence at the Venice Biennale from the very beginning in 1895, installed in the only existing pavilion alongside others international artists. In 1909, a dedicated British Pavilion was built in the Saint Elena Gardens. This paper charts the development of the British curatorial choices that have taken place at the Biennale since its outset. Rather than being a chronological history, it deals with aspects of power concerning the relationship between the authority of the British Pavilion's curatorial practices and those of the Biennale's curators and institution. The text highlights the peculiar political and managerial situation of the Venice Biennale, one that creates three levels of power confrontations. The first is between the structures of the Italian institution and those of the British Pavilion; the second is between the British government and the curators of its pavilion; and the third is between the curatorial choices taking place as part of the British Pavilion and those of other pavilions. This case study, which makes use of unpublished documents, highlights the singularities and commonalities of British curatorial practices at the Venice Biennale and offers the opportunity to reveal dialogues and tensions.