Photo Expert Florian Ebner to Curate German Pavilion at 2015 Venice Biennale

The Museum Folkwang’s head of photography, Florian Ebner, will curate Germany’s 2015 Venice Biennale pavilion, the country’s foreign office announced on Wednesday. Born in 1970, Ebner has held his current post since 2012, but only opened his first exhibition with the museum this year. Previously he served as the director of Braunschweig’s Museum für Photographie from 2009-2012 and the acting director of the Berlinische Galerie’s photo collection from 2008-2009.

Ebner’s selection comes slightly as a surprise. Photography—should we expect his pavilion to stick to his area of expertise—is not often shown in the Giardini’s national pavilions. And though Ebner is well respected in curatorial circles, his stock is not nearly as established as recent curators of the pavilion.

Museum der Moderne Kunst director Susanne Gaensheimer presented the last two pavilions, winning the Golden Lion in 2011 for her posthumous presentation of Christoph Schlingensief. Nicolaus Schafhausen spearheaded Germany’s 2009 and 2007 Venice Biennale efforts with Liam Gillick and Isa Genzken, respectively. Tino Sehgal curated Thomas Scheibitz‘s 2005 effort.

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