4/10/2006

After the success of previous presentations from Wales at the Venice Biennale of Art , Richard Deacon, Merlin James and Heather and Ivan Morison have been selected to represent Wales at the 52nd Venice Biennale in 2007.

Hannah Firth, the Curator for 2007, says ⣣Selection has been extremely challenging and exciting due to the strength and range of work being produced in Wales and by Welsh artists.

Dai Smith, Chair of the Arts Council of Wales said, ⣣The Venice Biennale is the show that every artist wants to be in and every nation wants to be at. The Arts Council of Wales is very proud to be going to Venice in 2007, and I am convinced that the 2007 show will build on the considerable achievement of previous years.⣣

Born in Bangor, North Wales in 1949, Richard Deacon lives and works between London and Paris. He was awarded the Turner Prize in 1987, and currently teaches at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Recent exhibitions include The Size of It, Touring Europe, Aint No Love in the Heart of the City, Cardiff and Slippery When Wet, Madrid. In 2007 he has a solo show at the IKON Gallery, Birmingham. Richard Deacon is represented by Lisson Gallery, London.

Merlin James was born in Cardiff and now lives in Glasgow. Solo exhibitions include the National Gallery of Wales, Cardiff, Kettle⣣s Yard Gallery, Cambridge, Brent Sikkema Gallery, New York, Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh and Bay Art, Cardiff. Merlin James is represented by Andrew Mummery Gallery, London; Kerlin Gallery, Dublin and Sikkema Jenkins & Co, New York.

Heather and Ivan Morison live in Arthog, North Wales and are currently working with Situations: University of the West of England on a new arts and ecology residency programme. Recent projects include: the British Art Show 6, touring, Starry Messenger, Compton Verney, and Spectator T, Sheffield. The Morisons are represented by Danielle Arnaud Gallery, London where they have a solo show in November 2006.