Profiles: Elmgreen & Dragset

For the 53rd Venice Biennale, Art in America asked those behind the scenes to give us the scoop on their projects, the exhibition, and Venice. Artists and curators of the Danish and Nordic Pavilions Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset answered our questionnaire from Venice, where they were installing "The Collectors," an exhibition of 24 international artists and artist groups that opens with the rest of the Biennale on June 7th. 

What excites you the most about this year’s Venice Biennale?

Well to be completely honest we are relatively excited about how our double pavilion project is going to be received by the public. Also looking forward to see what Steve McQueen will show and of course the Arsenale, too.

What aspect of your project (pavilion, et cetera) interests you the most? Why?

We have turned the two pavilions into domestic settings -- two neighboring private houses in each their style and ambience. They are inhabited by these two diverse eccentric collector types. One is a family who has now moved out and the house is put up for sale and in other house the mysterious Mister B. is living his hedonistic life style in a swanky bachelor's pad. He is not only a collector of contemporary art and tasteful design furniture but he also passionately collects used swim wear of his ex-lovers.

[For the entire profile, visit Profiles: Elmgreen & Dragset.]