The Australia Council for the Arts today announced that high-profile US curator Anne Ellegood has been selected to curate artist Hany Armanious’ 2011 Venice Biennale exhibition.

The Venice Biennale Commissioner, Doug Hall, worked with Hany Armanious to select a curator to support the development of his installation in Venice. Ms Ellegood was selected for her grasp of the international art scene and familiarity with Hany’s work.

Hany Armanious, the Sydney-based artist best known for his innovative sculptural work, is the sole artist selected to exhibit at the Australian Pavilion in the Giardini in June 2011. Hany has exhibited extensively in Australia, USA, New Zealand and Europe. His most recent solo shows include Birth of Venus, Foxy Production, New York in 2010; Running Man, Galleria Raucci/Santamaria, Italy in 2009; and Uncanny Valley, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney in 2009. He also recently exhibited at Art Basel 2010 in Miami.

Ms Ellegood is the Senior Curator at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles and brings a wealth of expertise, knowledge and international curatorial experience and networks to complement those of the Australian Commissioner and the Australia Council team. A leading curator and writer, she has staged numerous exhibitions in the US and Europe, and has written extensively for the international media.

In her new role, Ms Ellegood will provide high-level curatorial input, collaborate on the artistic development of the exhibition, contextualize the Australian exhibition within the Venice Biennale and provide strategic advice on the international contemporary art scene, including the US.

“We are delighted with Anne’s enthusiasm to take on this role next year. Her vital contribution to our representation at the Biennale is key to growing the already high level of international interest in Australia’s contemporary visual arts,” said Doug Hall.

“Each Biennale is different and on this occasion we are focusing on securing international reaction for a single artist who already has a profile and critical interest overseas. We’re confident Anne’s international perspective on his work and her extensive international art experience will produce a fascinating new take on his work,” he said.

Before her appointment to the Hammer Museum, Ms Ellegood was Curator of Contemporary Art at the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden in Washington DC from 2005-2009. Previously, she was the curator for the collection of philanthropist Peter Norton and from 1998-2003 was the Associate Curator at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York.

Ms Ellegood has contributed to publications such as Artforum and Tate Etc. Recent writings include the introduction for Phaidon’s Vitamin 3D, a Tate survey of contemporary sculpture; a profile of Haim Steinbach for MATRIX/Berkeley: A Changing Exhibition of Contemporary Art; and a catalogue essay for IvÁn Navarro for the Chilean Pavilion for the 2009 Venice Biennale.

Media contact: Victoria McClelland-Fletcher 02 9215 9008