Artist James Richards has been selected to represent Wales at the 57th Venice Biennale, running from May 13 to November 26 2017, the Arts Council of Wales announced today.

Richards, who works primarily with sound and found footage material, will produce a suite of new work—curated by Cardiff’s Chapter Arts Center—focusing on the possibility of the personal in the information age. This marks the first major commission for an international biennial for the 33-year-old artist, but not the first appearance in Venice—Richards was included in Massimiliano Gioni’s Encyclopedic Palace at the Arsenale in 2013.

The Berlin based artist first gained international attention as the winner of the 2012 Jarman Award for film and video, and shortly thereafter was nominated for the Turner prize in 2014.

Richards said in a statement, “It’s a huge honor and privilege to be representing Wales at the Venice Bienniale 2017. I’m truly surprised and thrilled by the selection and very excited to start working on a new work for this unique event.”

Richards’s project was selected from 11 proposals by a panel which included Adrian George, Deputy Director & Senior Curator, Government Art Collection; Emma Gifford-Mead, Head of Exhibitions, Lisson Gallery, London; Mary Griffiths, Curator of Modern Art, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester; Karen MacKinnon, Director, Artes Mundi; Nick Thornton, Head of Fine & Contemporary Art, Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales; Louise Wright, Portfolio Manager Arts Council of Wales and Commissioner; David Alston, Director Arts, Arts Council of Wales. Wales has been participating at the Venice Biennale since 2003.

Richards is represented by Rodeo Gallery, (London and Istanbul) and Cabinet Gallery (London) and his films are distributed by LUX.