The American composer and performer Meredith Monk has been awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale’s 69th International Festival of Contemporary Music. The Silver Lion was awarded to the multidisciplinary American artist of Bolivian origin Chuquimamani-Condori.
Born in New York in 1942, Meredith Monk founded the interdisciplinary performance group The House in 1968, and the Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble in 1978. A leading figure of the New York experimental scene of the 1960s, she developed works that have redefined contemporary performance, blending music, theatre, dance and cinema. Writing about Monk’s work in 2024, Emily May stated that ‘During her six decade career, the American artist has used her voice as an instrument, stretching its expressive potential without using recognisable words or language, often layering it polyphonically with the voices of others’.
Significant pieces include Vessel: an opera epic (1971) for an ensemble of 75 voices, electronic organ, dulcimer and accordion; Dolmen Music (1981) from her album of the same name, the three-part opera Atlas (1991) and her cycle Songs of Ascension (2008) that explores elevation in music. She has received numerous awards and honours including a MacArthur Fellowship, Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters from the Republic of France and a National Medal of Arts. Her music can also be heard in films by directors including Terrence Malick, Jean-Luc Godard, David Byrne and the Coen Brothers.
‘Meredith Monk has revolutionised music and the performing arts with an approach that has expanded the potential of the human voice, transforming it into a vehicle for unprecedented sonic exploration’, the biennale’s board of directors said.
Chuquimamani-Condori, who was awarded the Silver Lion, is a multidisciplinary artist whose work weaves folk sounds of the native Aymara tradition with digital technologies and club culture. Born in California and affiliated with the Pakajaqi nation, their recent works include Amaru’s Tongue: Daughter (2021), in collaboration with their brother Joshua Chuquimia Crampton; Across the Policed World: A Transnocturnal Huayño (2022), Rayo Mix (2022) and their album DJ E (2023). They participated in the 60th International Art Exhibition (2024) at the Venice Biennale in the Bolivian Pavilion.
They have ‘developed an innovative approach to sound through the use of sampling, polyrhythmic structures, futuristic melodic synth and complex personal narratives,’ the board stated.
The award ceremony will take place during the Biennale Musica 2025, 69th International Festival of Contemporary Music, 11 – 25 October, where both artists’ works will be presented.
