Jochen Volz.
Jochen Volz has been named curator of the 32nd São Paulo Bienal, slated for 2016. Born in Braunschweig, Germany, Volz is the head of programs at London’s Serpentine Galleries, and is familiar with the South American art world, having previously served as artistic director at Instituto Inhotim in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
A veteran of the international biennial scene, Volz has contributed to various exhibitions worldwide, including co-curating the 53rd Venice Biennale in 2009 with Daniel Birnbaum. By 2016, Volz will have curated the two oldest biennials in the world—Venice, which began in 1895, and São Paulo, started in 1951.
Tapping Volz seems apropos given his continued involvement in the São Paulo scene. He recently picked Olafur Eliasson to be part of the 17th International Festival of Contemporary Art-SESC_Videobrasil, and curated an homage to Marcel Broodthaers in 2006 at the 27th Bienal.
The recently closed 31st São Paulo Bienal, “How to (. . .) things that don’t exist,” featured 81 projects by over 100 participants. It was organized by a team of curators led by Charles Esche, director of the Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Volz will present the general concept of the exhibition and his plan for its implementation in February 2015.