54th Venice Biennale Artist's Interview : Angel Vergara

54th Venice Biennale Artist's Interview : Angel Vergara


For many years, the work of the Belgian artist Angel Vergara (*1959, Mieres, Spain) has used different media such as drawing, video, installation and performance, allowing him to explore and broaden the limitations of painting both from an esthetic and socio-political perspective. His more recent works make use of film and video and it is through this flux or stream of images that he creates or renders possible “live paintings”, a painting that is created in sync with the flow of images on the screen. The same gesture takes place within a mediatized reality when Vergara appropriates existing images. His assertion of his position as a painter is nothing more than an abstract concept: when he interacts with reality, he often occupies an economic and social function though which he seeks to explore the limits of the role of the artist.

For the 54th Venice Biennale, Angel Vergara presents in the Belgian Pavilion the exhibition project “Feuilleton”, curated by Luc Tuymans, from 4th June to 27th November 2011.

The interview with Angel Vergara took place on 28 April 2011 during the Art Brussels 2011.



Selina Ting: How did you feel when you know that you were chosen for the national pavilion?

Angel Vergara: Fantastic! It’s a big challenge… Four artists were selected and we had two months to come up with a project, then my project is taken. I am really happy to be present in such an important event. Because in Belgium, we are the capital of Europe and we don’t even have a contemporary art museum. Art venues are very limited for living artists. We have a lot of good artists and we are bored with the situation. For me, it’s a big challenge to be in Venice.

ST: It’s your idea to invite Luc Tuymans to be the curator of the show?

AV: Yes, I invited him and it was fantastic that he accepted. It’s important to work with another artist, especially an artist from the other community [Flemish]. And immediately we are in the same language, same vocabulary. We discovered each other and knew better each other’s work since the collaboration. Though our practices are very different, it’s amazing to find a lot of similarities between us in regards to history, memory, identity, etc. It was a big experiment! Besides, Luc is a very experienced curator as well. I am very happy working with him.

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