Minister of State Pieper is opening the German Pavilion at the 54th Venice Biennale today (1 June). Susanne Gaensheimer is the curator of the Pavilion, which is dedicated to the work of Christoph Schlingensief. As a magnet for art lovers from around the world, the Biennale is a unique forum for the visual arts.

For German artists and for artists living in Germany, the Venice Biennale is traditionally an important opportunity for artistic exchange. In 2011, 17 of the 60 artists exhibiting in the general pavilion live and work in Berlin. The close ties between the Biennale and Berlin artists once again demonstrate the city’s excellent standing in the international art scene.

As in the past, the Federal Foreign Office has made available substantial financial backing for the German Pavilion. Thanks are also due to the sponsors and patrons who have provided generous funding. The German Pavilion was realized in cooperation with the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (ifa) in Stuttgart.