The United States Picks Artist Martin Puryear for Venice Biennale 2019
The second African-American artist in a row to represent the US.
It’s a historic moment for Martin Puryear. The 77-year-old sculptor was recently chosen to represent the United States at the 58th Venice Biennale in spring 2019. Following Mark Bradford in 2017, this marks the second time in a row that the US selected an African-American artist to display a monumental piece at the annual event that has been heralded as the “Olympics of art.”
Puryear is celebrated for his large-scale sculptures made of natural materials such as wood, stone, and metals. His work touches upon issues of ethnicity, culture, and history, as per the New York Times. The artist is set to develop site-specific pieces for the pavilion, sculpture, as well as an outdoor installation in the site’s forecourt.
The 58th Venice Biennale will take place starting May 11 until November 24, 2019. In other art news, Magnolia Pictures just released the official trailer for KUSAMA — INFINITY.
